One Will See Your Soul, One Will Save It
by PowersPen
Summary: Before taking a new assignment, Dimitri receives a letter from his grandmother claiming,"Two will enter your life. One will see your soul, the other will save it." Heeding his grandmother's warning, he takes a risk on Rose & becomes her mentor. VA in DPOV
1. Memories

**a/n: I am starting to do a bit of editing of this fanfic. I will be adding some, rewording and better developing the characters. I have also restructured the chapters. Hope it's not too confusing. Same story though. Hope you like it. R/R! **

**The more comments, the more I write.**

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Chapter 1**

**Memories**

As I stood waiting, I enjoyed the feel of the autumn air moving through my lungs. The crisp edge to the falling temperatures reminded me of Russia—of home—but I was anxious with anticipation and stiff from immobility as I stood on the street in from this unfamiliar building.

Flashbacks of a previous life plagued me in the times when I wasn't active, and standing here, waiting as my charge slept, I struggled to separate the memories from my concentration. Despite my focus, I could still hear the echo of a memory of my former charge, Ivan Zeklos, and good friend, encouraging me to take a vacation. I hadn't had one of my own since I was assigned to him. He insisted I take time for myself. As obligated, I agreed.

As the day for my leave approached, excitement began to stir inside of me, despite my feelings of responsibility. I contemplated going home but decided against it. I loved my family, but duty bound me to my Moroi charge, a destiny that left no time for brotherly responsibilities. My family understood and respected my obligation—they were even proud of my abilities—but the pain they expressed when I left was unbearable and not an expense I wanted to pay for a short visit. Instead, I decided to roam for several days and maybe read a few new books.

Ivan was please with my plans, and when the day for my leave arrived, he grasped me in a friendly embrace. _I can manage without you._ He chuckled. _You are good to me, but your substitute will take good care of me._ An oath that still haunted me.

As I remembered that farewell, I sighed deeply. Through the earpiece I wore now, Luke, a guardian accompanying me on my quest, asked, "You need a break, Belikov? Want me to relieve you for a while?"

We had been waiting outside the home that we believed to be Valissa Dragomir's for several hours. As the last remaining Dragomir, one of the 12 Royal families, Valissa's safety was a high priority, and now, my only priority. I had been assigned to be her new guardian, a task the involved the responsibility of tracking her down after she ran away two years ago, and returning her to St. Vladimir's Academy.

With another deep sigh, I replied to Luke, "No. I'm good for another couple hours." I knew I wouldn't give up my post. It was almost 3:00am and my memories would continue to break the monotony of standing and waiting, but I wasn't going to resign my leadership on this mission for any amount of time. I felt no need to prove myself, just the innate devotion to my new charge that was born into the responsibility of being a guardian. I am one of the best, that why I was chosen for her, and I wouldn't abandon the honor. I took no pride in my status. I was a promised guardian, and this was my job.

As the seconds of the night crept by, the memories continued to flood back to me. After I left another guardian in charge of my friend's safety, I set out on my short lived adventure. Before I even arrived at my first destination, my cell phone began to vibrate. Concern washed over me. My number was only known by three. Ivan, but he wouldn't call after his insistence of my vacation. His new guardian in my absence, but I didn't recognize the number on the phone's display as his. Otherwise, the Royal Court had the only other record of this number, and a call from them was bad news.

I flipped open my phone with no words. They weren't needed.

"Dimitri Belikov?" The lady on the other end asked, though she already knew the answer. Her voice was laced with importance and a very official air.

"Speaking." I acknowledged my identity. I knew what was coming, and my mind was already heavy with regret. As a good guardian does, however, I kept my voice neutral and waited a fraction of a second for her response.

"Guardian Belikov, I am sorry to inform you that your Moroi charge, Ivan Zeklos, and his guardian on duty were killed last night in an unexpected Strigoi attack."

"Thank you for informing me." My response was formal, my voice calm and professional, but my soul was filled with sadness and remorse.

"We understand that you are on leave. Once you return, please come to the Court for questioning and your new assignment." I realized the speaker never identified herself, which neither surprised me nor confused me. I just remembered noticing.

"There is no need to prolong my leave. I will return to Court as soon as possible."

The line went quiet after that and I allowed a few moments of grief to flood me. Ivan was like family and his death was a large loss.

After the moments passed, I pushed my emotions aside and snapped my guardian mask back into place. Protecting Moroi, mortal vampires, allowed no time for emotions or feelings. Strigoi, fierce immortal vampires, seek the blood of Moroi. I am a dhampir, with a powerful blend of human and Moroi blood. My kind are trained to be guardians and protect Moroi from the Strigoi. Our sense of duty comes from our inability to sustain our race without at least one Moroi parent. With such a responsibility, emotions and feelings are a distraction, and I learned the importance of shutting them off in my studies. Putting it into practice was more difficult, but necessary.

I immediately returned to Court and answered questions about the events leading to the attack. I was then immediately assigned to Valissa Dragomir and St. Vladimir's Academy until her graduation.

My memory faded quickly when shattered by the muffled screams of a girl in house we were watching. Her shrieks were muffled by the weight of sleep, and perhaps a pillow. I did not react. Then I noticed a change in the darkness of the room from which I had heard the scream. Movement. The other guardians, ten in all, were chatting with one another through our communication system. I quickly called them to attention, and they fell silent at my command.

I heard a soft, melodic voice call out quietly, "Liss. Liss wake up." The concern in the speaker's voice startled me and all my muscles tensed in response to an unseen danger.

"Andre." The girl who screamed was now moaning, still lost in sleep, fearing evident in her mumbling. "Oh God."

The girl must be '_Liss'_ or Princess Valissa Dragomir. The oldest survivor of a Royal family assumed the title suiting their status. Since Valissa was the last of the Dragomirs, her rightful title became Princess, a title inherited when her family died several years ago.

"Liss, you aren't there anymore." The first girl frantically sang. "Wake up," she pleaded, her voice sharpened by the worry of the nightmare that made the Princess scream.

It was easy to assume that the girl with the Princess was Rose Hathaway. When I arrived at St. Vladimir's, I was given a file on each girl, and I knew their histories well. Rose was the daughter of the well known and highly respected guardian, Jeanine Hathaway. According her file, however, she lacked the discipline and appropriate attitude to carry such a respected name. Valissa was mostly a quiet individual, though her file was marred by the indiscretions that were certainly influenced by her loyalty to her misguided novice friend.

The girls had been best friends since they began school together at the age of 5. Rose was with the Princess the night her family died in a car accident, and according to her file, it was a wonder that she survived. A notation in the file indicated that their friendship became even closer after the accident, the two hardly seen separated, and Rose began to demonstrate protective behaviors Alberta, the Head of the Guardians at the school decided to observe the friendship closely to determine if Rose could be trained to be Princess Valissa's full time guardian following graduation. A couple of days before the girls' disappearance, they both began acting strange and Valissa seemed frantic and bothered.

Based on the information provided in the file, I held a very low opinion of Rose Hataway. Being raised at the Academy, she understood the value and importance of the Princess. The file made it clear that Rose's defiance of authority was to blame for her disappearance and despite her frantic attempts to stop her friend, Valissa joined her when she left. No guardian would endanger a Moroi as Rose had and I agreed with the school's decision to expel Rose upon her return.

But there was something in the urgency of the movements in the shadows and the concern-filled plea of the girl that gave me a moment's hesitation when I recalled my opinion of her. Despite her record, could her intentions have been misunderstood?

With my heightened senses from my dhampir blood, I could hear the fear in the ragged breathes of the dreaming Princess. As her breathing slowed, I stilled myself, not even realzing until that moment that I had begun to run to the girls. I was at the edge of where the lights met the shadows now, visible, but I didn't even dare to take the step backwards to conceal myself in the shadows. My hearing was more sensitive than a human's, but nothing compared to that of a Moroi. Even one step could alert the girls to our presence, something we really didn't want to do.

"It's okay," Rose comforted Valissa. "Everything's okay."

"I had the dream."

"Yeah. I know." A hint of concern lingered in Rose's voice and I wondered what dream haunted these girls' rest. Several moments passed an the girls breathing seemed to slow. No movement in the shadows. A light came on followed by no other indication that they were still awake. I began to think the girls were asleep again and contemplated moving from the light when Rose spoke again.

"When did we last do a feeding?" Rose paused. "It's been like… more than two days, hasn't it? Three? Why didn't you say anything?"

There was something in her voice that made me nervous about what I was about to witness. Moroi needed blood to survive and where many Moroi gathered, feeders, humans that consented to act as a blood supply, were employed. Moroi saliva is rumored to enhance endorphins and produce a stimulating high for the victim of the bite. Securing a feeder, however, would be dangerous for these girls. Vampires are no longer accepted in human culture so it would be important for them to hide their identity. I didn't hear Valissa's response as I pondered their feeing predicament. I was surprised that in all the time that I studied and search for them, I somehow never questioned how Valissa was ensuring her essential blood supply. The alternative to a feeder entered my mind and my stomach made an uncomfortable lurch. I hardly had an opportunity to entertain the idea before I understood the sacrifice Rose had made.

With the same voice that seemed to contain a symphony, Rose declared, "Come on, let's do this."

Valissa protests just by saying Rose's name. Before Valissa even finished her name, Rose reiterated, "Come _on_. It will make you feel better."

Valissa hesitated, and then her need for blood won over. The girls shifted positions so they were no longer just voices in the dark. I recognized the blond hair of the Dragomir Princess immediately and identified Rose as the girl with the long dark hair.

Rose threw her hair over her shouldered in a practiced, graceful movement, reveling the smooth, tanned skin of her neck. Suddenly, I was grateful that the other guardians were not observing what I was As irresponsible as I felt that Rose had been to allow her friend to leave the walls and protection of the academy, there was no doubting her loyalty to protecting the Princess.

As Valissa leaned towards Rose's neck, I averted my eyes. Moroi could not survive without blood, but while human blood would sustain them, dhampir blood was more beneficial. But for a dhampir to allow a Moroi to feed was considered degrading and perverse. Many dhampir women were labeled blood whores—some wrongly so—for allowing Moroi to feed during sexual exploits. It was a stereotype that plagued the reputation of dhampirs who chose not to become Guardians and live together in villages. I swore that I would never repeat what I saw to anyone. I would not allow Rose's sacrifice to protect her friend be dishonored by the negative connotation of the label that this knowledge would surely illicit.

I heard a gasp. It was quiet and filled with pain. As it faded and I knew Valissa's venom was dancing in Rose's veins, I felt something I didn't recognize. I felt sick at the action, unable to imagine the loyalty and devotion it held. I was awed by the understanding of sacrifice and duty this seventeen year old felt. But something more stirred. Almost like my desire to protect her name, I had to protect her. I never wanted to hear pain in her breath again.

I suddenly realized I was wrong about Rose Hathaway. She may have an attitude, but she was born to be a guardian. She understood the role and the responsibility better than most promised guardians did.

Less than a minute after her gasp ripped through me, I hear Valissa whisper, "You okay?" as she pulled her hand across her face.

Rose's response was quiet and strained. Her voice, delighted, but weighted with exhaustion that accompanied the loss of blood. "I… yeah." She hesitated. "I just need to sleep it off. I'm fine." She sounded as if she was already fighting the weight of her eyelids.

It was quiet again, but I didn't move from the light casted by the street lamp. I was stunned by what I had seen and questioned if I would have done the same for my charge, for my friend I'd come to regard as family Deciding I probably would not, I wracked my hand through my shoulder length hair with a soft sigh.

My sudden movement startled the cat in the window. I had noticed earlier he was uncomfortable with my presence, but my motion resulted in the cat puffing his fur and glaring down at me, his tail twitching.

"You don't know what you're missing." Rose spoke, presumably to the cat since Lissa left a moment ago to get Rose some food. Her comment sent chills through me. Her longing for the fix apparent. It was appalling and concerning at the same time. I pulled my hair off of my neck, causing the cat to hiss at my me.

I heard a sudden break in the quietness as a floor board moaned under the weight of movement. Rose came to the window scanning the surrounding. I knew if I had moved, she would see me, so I held my breath, holding perfectly still, praying she wouldn't see me. My formal be-seen-not-heard stance would identify me as a Guardian and she would know we were here.

Only a second passed before her eyes settled on me, and she jumped in surprise. Emotions cycled across her face, on replacing the previous in quick succession. Recognition. Fear. Determination. Sadness? I wasn't sure. My gaze bore into her eyes, searching for the reasons and answers to the confusion she caused, but I could tell she couldn't see my face. She squinted through the shadows, analyzing what she could of me.

Hardly two seconds had passed since she came to the window. Luke, realizing I had been seen, steeped to the edge of the shadows to beckon me from the light. I stepped back into the cover of darkness, disappearing from her view.

As my team gathered for my directions, I heard Rose quickly shuffling around before she threw herself from her room. A muffled conversation between Rose, Valissa, and a male, presumably the roommate we researched, ensued. Their words were lost in the walls, but I knew what they were deciding.

Rose and Valissa would try to run.


	2. Capturing the Princess and Novice

**Chapter 2**

**Capturing the Princess and Novice**

Allowing the girls to run away again was not a concern. Not an option. Not a possibility. Rose was weakened by the bite she allowed and Valissa's strength and speed could not compare to mine or the other guardians.

With little instruction, our team divided up. Three guardians surrounded the house and would follow the girls when they left. The rest scattered along the street. They were all instructed to stay in the shadows. Not to been seen. I jogged the distance to the car I suspected the girls would try to take, their roommate's car. The cool evening air filled my lungs wiping away all emotion and thought. I surrendered my mind to guardian instinct and action.

"They are moving." Luke's whisper came through my ear piece. A moment later, the sound of a door slamming was followed by loud footfalls. The girls were running.

My men are good at what they do. So when I told them not to be noticed, I had no doubt that they would comply. But I was slightly disappointed when Rose didn't sense them. Guardians should always be aware of their surroundings, and I had found myself hoping she would prove to already be great. Instead, she proved reckless, a. her record indicated.

As Rose and the Princess ran past my unnoticed support, I was able to overhear bits of their conversation. Rose was still trying to comfort Valissa, convincing her of their impossible escape. I could tell they were coming my direction, just as I had sensed they would.

Something Rose had said unnerved me, "The found us before. They didn't catch us then." I didn't have time to think about those words, though, because the girls were now in my line of sight. Rose was stumbling, heavily relying on Valissa to remain upright. Her slightly tanned skin was flushed as she pushed her muscles past their protest. Valissa's face was covered in fear. Her jade-green eyes, pupils' dilated with fear, captured the light, magnifying the intensity of her emotions.

The girls were making a lot of noise as they ran, so I chanced a command into my microphone. Timing it with the pattern of their footfalls, I whispered, "Close in."

After a second, Lissa straightened and her eyes darted around. Searching. "Do you hear that?" Her sensitive hearing had alerted her to the movement of my team. A moment passed before Rose registered what the Princess had heard. A grimace pulled at the corners of her lips as she reached out for the now still Valissa.

"We've got to run for it." Her voice was strained with exhaustion.

"But you can't." Valissa's concern was only for her friend now.

"_Run_."

Rose clung more to Valissa as they picked up their pace. I could see the other guardians approaching behind them, still unseen by their eyes. Rose began to lose more color in her face and her eyes seemed unfocused but she kept pushing Valissa.

The girls were only about 12 feet away now. I stepped from the camouflage of the shadows directly in front of them as they moved closer, allowing the light to wash over me. The other guardians recognized my move and formed a loose circle around the girls. They were trapped.

Rose must have recognized me as the leader—the threat—because she pulled Valissa behind her, shielding her from me. With her arms forming a lose cage around Valissa at her back, Rose's panicked eyes quickly surveyed the situation. She was steady on her feet for the moment, though she still looked pale.

Seeing her this close, her beauty caused my breath to catch in my throat. Her searching eyes were deep and beautiful. Dark brown. Her skin, the color of the inside of an almond, was flawless and was framed by wonderful curtains of flowing dark hair. When she growled, "Leave her alone! Don't touch her." I noticed her full lips and again her melodic voice. Watching her, I felt a protective instinct rise in me. She wasn't much older than one of my sisters.

I realized she was prepared to fight us, and I didn't want her to over exert herself. I raised my hands, palms facing her, hoping she would see I had no intention to harm them. I took a step towards her as I said, "I'm not going to—"

Before I could finish my thought, she left towards me, ready to fight. Her movements were immature, underdeveloped, but showed her skill. I was faster, however, and brushed her advance aside.

The force of my response startled me as my arm contacted her shoulder. I hadn't intended to strike so hard and my movement sent her flying backwards. She couldn't regain her balance and I could tell she was going to fall hard onto the curb. My muscles obeyed the protective instinct that flared in my stomach and grabbed Rose's arm to steady her before I had the time to think about the action. Her hair fell from her face when she lost her balance, revealing the small puncture wounds from the bite I'd watched before. My stare lingered for a moment as a drop of blood gathered at the wound. I fought the instinct to tend to her.

Rose noticed my line of sight and touched her neck. When she saw the blood on her fingers, she met my eyes, crimson rising to her cheeks and flipped her hair back over her neck, pulling from my grip. I pulled my eyes from her and quickly glanced around the circle of guardians looking for any indication they had noticed. With their guardian blank faces, I couldn't read any thoughts, but their eyes were on me, and I was certain—relieved- no one saw the bite.

With a look challenging me plastered on her face, Rose backed towards Valissa again. She readied herself to attack.

"Rose. Don't." Valissa issued a quiet warning. It had no affect at first. Rose was still ready to protect Valissa no matter the injury to herself. After a slight moment, Rose began to relax her stance as the muscles in her face shifted. A slight glassy look in her eyes struck me before it quickly vanished.

I had seen a similar look before. Two in the village in which I was raised acted the same together as Rose and Valissa. At times, the dhampir would get the same flash in his eyes, and I felt that I was missing a part of their conversation. I couldn't believe it. Valissa and Rose were bonded. I felt the tension around my eyes soften as I realized the weight of the responsibility Rose must feel.

When I recognized Rose would no longer fight me, I turned to Valissa, my eyes remaining on Rose just a second longer. I swept Valissa the greeting bow worthy of her status as Princess and introduced myself. "My name is Dimitri Belikov. I've come to take you back to St. Vladimir's Academy, Princess."


	3. Defending Rose

**Chapter 3**

**Defending Rose**

The other guardians and I escorted the girls to the airport to return them to school. Valissa seemed anxious and fearful of her return and I questioned the truth of the record of their escape. Intuition made me think Rose was acting to protect her bondmate rather than a thoughtless act of selfishness.

The girls were whispering to one another with their heads together. I remembered the determination in Rose's eyes when she first saw me and her promises of escape as the girls ran from us. Certain they were plotting a return to the human world, I ordered they be separated. "Don't let them talk to each other. Five minutes together and they'll come up with an escape plan." Rose fixed me with a defiant, challenging gaze that confirmed their scheming. She stormed to the back of the plan with luck following her and I took her seat next to Valissa.

For most of the flight, my mind circled around the possibility of the girls' bond. Legends told of Moroi who had psychic links to their guardians, but it was a rare gift. While the bondmates I knew in Russia tried to hide their link, I recognized all the similarities between them and these two girls. Not many would notice the signs, but I was certain Rose and Valissa were bonded.

Having a bond made Rose the best candidate to be Valissa's guardian. Rose showed some great talent, too, but she was far behind in her studies. I knew she would be expelled when we returned, but I decided in this matter, my opinion would be heard. For Valissa's safety, Rose could not be dismissed.

If I were to be honest with myself, Valissa's safety was not my only motivation. I wanted to see what Rose made of herself. With so much promise, I had faith she could be amazing.

I rose to my feet without consciously decided to. If I was going to fight to keep her at St. Vladimir's, I needed to understand her better. Luke rose and left when he saw me approaching, leaving the seat by Rose vacant for me. I sat beside her and she turned away from me with a sigh and her notorious attitude. Her childish behavior was endearing and again reminded me of my sisters.

I allowed the silence between us to see if she would respond to my presence further. When she didn't, I spoke, "Were you really going to attack all of us?"

My question was intended to be playful, but all the muscles in her neck tightened and she didn't respond. Very childish. Her cold shoulder was losing its endearing aspect and becoming frustrating. I wanted to help her, but she wasn't cooperating. At the same time, her silence pulled at the corner of my lips and I had to fight a smile. Keeping all emotions out of my voice, I tried again. "Doing that…" I couldn't find the right words. "Protecting her like that—it was very brave." Though she was turned from me, I could tell she smiled at the compliment. She was proud; perhaps, insulting her would get a response. "_Stupid_, but brave. Why did you even try it?"

She turned to me, her expression hard. She moved a strand of hair from her face, leaving nothing to obscure her cold glare into my eyes. "Because I'm her guardian." With finality in her voice, she turned back to the window.

Her behavior both annoyed and entertained me, but her answer confirmed her passion for her role. Something about her just amazed me.

The remainder of the trip back to the Academy was quiet and void of any incidents. I had half expected Rose to try to run again, but I was pleasantly surprised when she followed my command to get into the car.

We arrived back at the school just as the moon was taking its place in the sky. The sky here was smaller than what I was use to in Russia, but I wouldn't allow my thought to travel to the home I missed so much.

When we left the cars, I could hear the voices as the school awakened. Moroi had a low tolerance to sunlight, so St. Vladimir operated on a nocturnal schedule. As nightfall was finding its place around us, we approached the commons building. Students were meeting for breakfast and preparing to begin their day.

We had been instructed to march the girls through the commons and past their peers as we went to the headmistress. Using humiliation as a form of punishment made me uncomfortable but I prepared to do as I was told. As we made our way towards the commons, unaware of the shameful walk ahead of her, Rose caught up to me matching my stride.

"Hey comrade."

I kept my eyes ahead though I could imagine the snarky expression that accompanied her words. "You want to talk now?" My voice was colder than I intended, but she didn't seem to notice.

"Are you taking us to Kirova?"

"_Headmistress_ Kirova." I corrected, letting her hear the italics in my voice. I was planning to stand up for her, and hoped that she heard my warning to remain respectful in the headmistress's presence. Valissa shot her a loaded look that seemed to mirror my warning. They didn't know I noticed.

"Headmistress. Whatever. She's still a self righteous old bit—" Her words cut off as she realized where we were leading them. This humiliation wasn't right.

As I expected, when we entered the commons, most students were gathered for breakfast. My eyes automatically scanned the room for threats. There were none, as I expected, so I led the girls and their convoy of guardians through the building.

My eyes continued to scan the area as the volume decreased. Most eyes were on the returning girls. Shocked. I had to take several deep breathes to steady myself. This wasn't right.

Most faces were indiscernible, but I did focus on one. A boy, Aaron, I believe. He was excited. Relieved. Probably uncomfortable since he had another girl attached to side. Aaron was no stranger to us. Every day, he came to our office questioning our progress in our search for the girls. Aaron would offer irrelevant bits of information before hurrying away, giving the impression he shouldn't have come. He always seemed nervous and deeply concerned; today, there was no mistaking, he was elated.

As we passed through the commons more faces swam in front of me. All of them intently staring. All of them shocked. The attention, though mostly on the girls, was still very uncomfortable, and I was relieved when we entered the privacy of Headmistress Kirova's office.

Delivering the girls to the headmistress fulfilled the other guardians' duties and they left us as we entered the office. Alberta, who had joined us in our march across the commons, accompanied the girls and me inside. Quickly studying the room—a habit born of years of service in the real world, though not as necessary in the safety of the Academy—I determined the windows and exit were secure. Besides the girls, Alberta and myself, the headmistress was in the room, accompanied by Prince Victor Dashkov seated in the far corner.

Victor had arrived on campus shortly after I announced to the Headmistress that I had located the girls. His excitement for their return was expected, but something about his eagerness seemed unusual to me. I learned Prince Dashkov was close to the Dragomirs before the accident, and dismissed my suspensions. Still, there was something about the Prince that made me uncomfortable, something I didn't understand. But with the Prince's continued presence in my office as I prepared a team of guardians to retrieve the girls, I realized my discomfort was due to the illness that plagued him, and soon grew to like him. I was surprised to see him with the Headmistress, though. I smiled and nodded once as way of a greeting.

As the girls settled in their seats in front of the Headmistress, Alberta and I fell into place along the back wall of the office. I clasped my hands behind my back, my guardian stance, and fixed my face to show no emotion. This meeting was going to be very unpleasant to observe, and I prepared myself for the part I was determined to contribute.

I was expecting the Headmistress to begin her lecture right away, but the Prince called to Valissa. Rose was startled and jerked her head around to see Victor. I was disappointed that she wasn't already aware of his presence. Sometimes she seemed destined for greatness. Times like this, however, it seemed unlikely she'd be able to catch up in her studies, even if the headmistress allowed her to stay. I felt my frustration give way to the beginning sparks of anger. How could she be so irresponsible?

At the sound of her name, Valissa sprang from her seat and grasped the Prince in a strong hug. Valissa's voice carried her emotions as she cried out, "Uncle." Surprise. Comfort. Love. It had been a couple years since the young girl last her family and during that time, she lived with Rose. They was she grasped her friend in that hug proved how she longed for a parental figure in her life, the comfort of an adult who loves you. Who will protect you.

I once shared that longing, hoping my father would be a stable figure in my life, and I understood the emptiness she felt without her parents. My mother was a great support in my family, but as a boy, I wanted a man to look up to. I quickly pushed those thoughts away. I would not think about them.

I took a deep breath and realized my jaw was tense. Anger filled my body when I thought about father and with a struggle, I released the tension from my muscles and focused on the room.

Valissa and the Prince were sharing a few whispered words and the headmistress was impatiently waiting for them to finish. She was careful not to acknowledge Rose. She seemed unprepared for this interruption, aggravated even, but even in the school, Royalty pulled authority. She could say nothing.

After several moments, Kirova was able to lead Valissa back to her seat. The headmistress began her long tirade. Most of her ratings I had heard when she would visit the Guardian's office checking on our research. She lectured Valissa on responsibility and the duty that came with her name. Valissa hung her head in shame. She acknowledged the headmistress appropriately with expected nods and "yes, ma'am." While her lecture was strict and honest, her words had an undertone of concern and compassion.

When Headmistress Kirova turned to Rose, concern was replaced with bitterness and brutality. "You, Miss Hathaway," she spat Rose's name as if it had an unpleasant taste, "broke the most sacred promise among our kind: the promise of a guardian to protect a Moroi. It's a great trust. A trust that you violated by selfishly taking the Princess away from here. The Strigoi would love to finish off the Dragomirs; _you_ nearly enabled them to do it."

Valissa spoke. Calm and controlled, fitting for Royalty. "Rose didn't kidnap me. I wanted to go. Don't blame her."

As the headmistress paced the room, she explained to Valissa that Rose I bound to duty despite the loyalty of friendship. "If she'd done her duty, she would have kept you safe."

As the headmistress lectured Valissa, Rose was fidgeting uncomfortably, but as soon as the headmistress insinuated Rose put Valissa in danger, she leapt to her feet emphasizing, "I _did_ do my duty." Alberta and I both reacted to Rose's harshness, but realized when we noticed she wasn't going to be destructive. The expression on the Headmistress's face made me certain she chose her words in a way to goad a reaction from Rose, fueling my anger, both that she would do that and that Rose reacted. Rose kept insisting, "I did keep her safe! I kept her safe when none of you could do it. I took her away to protect her. I did what I had to do. You certainly weren't going to."

Rose's words were strong, spoken with conviction. Her voice revealed so many emotions. Loathing. Urgency. Pride. But under all the emotion, she was pleading for understanding. No one knew why the girls ran away, but after Rose's reaction, I was determined to find out.

The muscles in Rose's neck relaxed for the briefest of moments. Valissa's expression revealing strong emotions. I knew Valissa was trying to calm Rose in a way I couldn't.

Kirova's face was stone cold as she glared down on Rose, "Ms. Hathaway, forgive me if I fail to see the logic of how taking her out of a heavily guarded, magically secured environment is protection her. Unless there's something you aren't telling us."

At these words, Lissa stiffened, unnoticed by Kirova. Rose didn't respond making me certain something happened to these girls. Kirova interpreted the silence to mean there was nothing left unsaid and continued, looking pleased with herself. She accused Rose of leaving to avoid punishment for destruction of property. Rose desperately tried to protest but Kirova continued to speak over her. My fists clenched behind my back when the headmistress handed Rose her punishment, "You will be sent away as soon as possible."

Valissa was now on her feet, too, pleading with Headmistress Kirova. "She's my guardian."

The satisfaction on the headmistress's face caused my anger to boil in my stomach and I had to fight to maintain control of myself. Both Rose and Valissa begged to no avail, while Kirova seemed more pleased with her decision. Valissa's disappearance had, no doubt, caused trouble for Kirova and her actions seemed like personal vengeance rather than fair school policy.

Rose sensing defeat tried threatening the headmistress, "Or maybe you're going to try to send me off to be a blood whore. Try that, and we'll be gone by the end of the day."

"Ms. Hathaway, you are out of line." Kirova's words were sharp.

I was no longer able to control myself and took a small step forward. I felt the tension in the muscles in my neck, my fists tight with my fingernails cutting into my flesh. The pain a reminder to remain diplomatic.

Rose had a gift. Valissa had a bondmate. They both had a secret. Rose could not be sent away.

"They have a bond." In trying to control my anger, my accent was stronger than usual, and my voice was commanding. Kirova and Alberta were shocked that I spoke without being addressed. Guardians are seen, not heard.

Rose spun around at the sound of voice. My eyes met hers and the anger within me grew. In the moment I despised her for making me lose control. Warning her to stay quiet with my glare, I spoke steady words, "Rose knows what Valissa is feeling, don't you?"

I couldn't look at Valissa. This admission would be betraying her trust. I had already done it and now I was asking Rose to as well. Stumbling over her words, the headmistress gasped, "No. That's impossible. That hadn't happened in centuries."

Ignoring her ignorance, I continued, "It's obvious. I suspected as soon as I started watching them."

I felt Rose look away at the same time I noticed Victor. His eagerness stirred the same feelings of discomfort I felt when we first met. "That is a gift, a rare and wonderful thing," He exclaimed.

"The best guardians always had that bond," I continue. "In the stories."

My insinuation of Rose's skill infuriated Kirova once again. "Stories that are centuries old. Surely you aren't suggesting we let her stay at the academy after all she's done?"

Her condescending tone did little to help subside my anger. I shrugged, busing myself a second to control my voice before I spoke again, "She might be wild and disrespectful, but if she has potential—"

As if I needed her to prove my claim about her self-discipline, Rose screamed out, "Wild and disrespectful? Who the hell are you, anyway? Outsourced help?" The anger on her face gave way to a moment of regret before she quickly removed the weaker expression. Her sass simmered my anger and I had to fight a smile at her quip. She was angry, but her tongue was humorous to me. With so many sisters I was use to it.

Ms. Kirova, however, did not regard Rose's words with the same humor I did. With a voice as hard as steal, she announced my position, "Guardian Belikov is the Princess's guardian now. Her _sanctioned _guardian." Again, letting the italics be heard.

Rose response was brazen, "You got cheap foreign labor to protect Lissa?"

I knew it was nothing against me, but this time her sass began to anger me. I was standing up for her and she was insulting me. As a comment between friends, I would laugh, but now, I was fighting for control of myself again.

"You see," Kirova shouted before controlling the volume of her voice. She still allowed the venom in her words to follow. "Completely undisciplined! All the psychic bonds and _very_ raw potential in the world can't make up for that. A guardian without discipline is worse than no guardian."

True, I thought as I spoke a solution, "Then teach her discipline. Classes just started. Put her back in and get her trained again."

Feeling her power slipping away, the Headmistress was searching for excuses, "Impossible. She'll be hopelessly behind her peers." She had less conviction in her voice.

Another solution, "Then give her extra training sessions."

No one else existed in the room while I bartered for this girl was infuriated me. I wasn't even sure why I fought to keep her around other than my curiosity about why they ran away in the first place.

Kirova demanded with a little more confidence, "Who's going t put in the extra time? You?" She questioned me skeptically.

"Well, that's not what I—"

With victory distorting her face, Kirova smugly claiming, "Yes. That's what I thought."

The room came back to focus and I stared at the two girls. Suddenly, I remembered my grandmother's last correspondence and its cryptic message. _Two will enter your life. One will see your soul, the other will save it. Be careful not to lose them._ I was still no closer to understanding what my grandmother meant, but now I knew these girls were the _two_ my grandmother meant.

I sighed and agreed, "Yes. I can mentor Rose. I'll give her extra sessions along with her normal ones."

The headmistress was angry. Shocked even. "Then what? She goes unpunished?"

"Find some other way to punish her." I was suddenly exhausted, and at the moment, I didn't care what they decided to do to Rose. I got what I fought for, but somehow, I felt completely defeated. "Guardian numbers have gone down too much to risk losing another. A girl in particular." My voice was flat. Detached.

Victor agreed, Valissa begged. Alberta still seemed shocked, but supportive. Headmistress Kirova looked as defeated as I felt. She finally agreed and doled out Rose's conditions. Of course, Rose tried to negotiate, but she caught my eyes. My gaze beggared her to end this. I had faith in her, but she needed control. Much like I did.

After many moments that seemed to stretch into hours, she spoke softly. "Fine. I accept."


	4. Returning to Classes

**Chapter 4**

**Returning to Classes**

The role of a guardian at the Academy does not usually include being captured in a cage of dated photographs, sketchy timelines, and meaningless maps, testimonies, and leads. But since I was assigned to be Valissa's guardian, and she was missing, that is exactly what my role entailed. Every waking hour was spent in a small office reviewing all of our information. I read the girls files so many times, I practically had them memorized. The intensity of the research provided an outlet to distract me from the loss of my friend and that pain subsided long ago. Months of interviewing friends and staff, searching the girls' internet history and belongings, and searching the campus for clues led to nothing except high levels of frustration and an internal struggle to control my anger.

Five days ago, a phone call from an alchemist created a whirlwind of decisions and planning, and I haven't rested since. The alchemist called to tell us that he had spotted the Princess and knew her location. In three days, I assembled a team and planned every detail our mission. I had no time to work out and hardly any sleep. We left 36 hours ago to get find the girls. Often, my emotions can cause me to act irrationally, and I exert a great deal of self-control to maintain the guardian persona, but with the hectic schedule and extreme exhaustion of the last couple of days, I could feel my concentration slipping and longed for a session in the gym to center myself.

Rose was meeting with the councilor to determine her schedule while I waited for her in the hall. Alberta and I went over my new schedule since my release from my research prison. Now that I understood Rose's motivation was to protect Valissa, I logically knew I couldn't blame her for the drawn out months of searching, but in my current state of fatigue, I did resent her for my denial of my usual workout and sleep schedule. But even if permission were granted for me to rest, I would not abandon my responsibilities for even one day.

"Since you'll be mentoring rose, I think it's best for you to observe her Guardian classes. You will be able to analyze her skills and determine your sessions' content. We will adapt your patrolling schedule next week when we have a better idea of the time required to work with Rose. For now, keep an eye on here." Raising her eyes from the schedules in front of her, Alberta seemed to see me for the first time today. Place a hand on my shoulder and dropping the professional tone in her voice, she asked, "Guardian Belikov, are you alright?"

A practices expression on my face concealed my emotions, but there was nothing I could do about the fatigue I was sure was in my eyes. "You can call me Dimitri, and thank you. I am okay." My smile, though forced, seemed to convince her. I couldn't know for sure, though, because Rose then joined us. Alberta and I escorted her to her first class.

Alberta became uncomfortable with the silence as we walked and tried to fill it. "Dimitri, I wanted to thank you for helping find Valissa—"

"My pleasure." It was rude but I didn't want to talk about it. She didn't seem to notice. Alberta smiles and we walked the rest of the way in silence.

We entered the student gym for Rose's first class, Advanced Guardian Combat Techniques, and her peers gawked at her return. In a move that reminded me of myself at her age, Rose immediately began joking with her friends when she noticed the attention. "Hey Mason, wipe the drool off your face. If you're going to think about me naked, do it on your own time." I sighed. Her banter was inappropriate.

The class, however, found humor in her words and relaxed some. "This is my time, Hathaway. I'm leading today's session," responded a disheveled red headed boy whose freckled disappeared as color rose to his cheeks. The look in his eyes and twist of his smile made it seem likely that he was indeed thinking about her naked. I felt indecent listening to their conversation.

Rose chuckled," Oh yeah? Huh. Well I guess this is a good time to think about me naked, then."

"It's _always_ a good time to think about you naked," responded another student, breaking the tension in the room even further.

I shook my head, unable to stop the string of Russian words escaping from my lips, "glupaja devushka." _Foolish girl._ It bothered me that she was being so forward, especially in what she was wearing. She hadn't had the opportunity to change from the jeans and _very_ thin t-shit she had wore to bed the night before—the night we captured her—and I realized, seeing her body for the first time, that the boys needed no invitation or reminder to think of her naked. The protective urge stirred in my stomach again.

I took my place along the outskirts of the gym with the other Guardians, my hands behind my back, my feet shoulder width apart. I could have reclined against the wall unnoticed, as the others had, but I didn't. I was happy when the uncomfortable conversation shifted to class and I was able to focus on Rose's techniques.

Rose paired with Mason and I noticed his hands (and eyes) lingered on her longer than needed, but she didn't notice. As they sparred, I was able to anticipated Mason's moves, my muscles reacting, and I had to focus my strength to maintain my stance on the wall. Rose, however, was struggling. I wondered how she would have done in the beginner's Guardian Combat class. She had talent, but undeveloped talent was still lacking against the practiced and perfected moves of her peers. It was obvious with some training though, she would be one of the best I have ever seen. _If_ she can learn self-control.

After an hour of enduring her peers' inflicted assault, Rose's torture ceased. "No practicing, huh?" Mason mocked.

Roes groaned a painful response. Mason helped her to her feet as she professed her feelings for him. "I hate you." She was nursing a few sore spots as they spoke.

"You'd hate me more if I held back."

"Yeah. That's true." _Good girl. _She seemed to realize she'd learn best when pushed, and I would surely challenge her limits in our sessions.

"You actually did okay," Mason lied.

I missed a bit of their conversation as they turned away to gather their belongings. Well, Mason gathered his. Rose didn't have anything with her. They left the gym and I followed them to their next class.

"Don't take this the wrong way…" Mason hesitated, concern in his words. "I mean, you really are a scrapper, but there's no way you'll be able to take your trials in the spring—"

He voiced one of the concerns of so many, but I was determined to train her well. Not only did I see her potential, I refused to let her prove Kirova right about Rose. I missed the rest of their conversation as their peers congested the walkway, separating us, but I followed Rose into her next class, Body Guard Theory and Personal Protection, and felt sorry for Rose as Stan Alto entered the classroom. Rose was about to face another round of humiliation.

I liked Stan enough, most of the time. He was focused and dedicated to his role as guardian and teacher. He viewed his position as an honor—not a responsibility—and felt personally insulted by Rose's decision to run off with Valissa. Rose was his student, and he felt her defiance poorly reflected on him.

Before accepting the added responsibility of mentoring Rose, I didn't understand his feelings. Seeing the anger in his eyes fortified the weight of the responsibility I had accepted. I didn't agree that Rose's decisions reflected on his abilities, as she was never more to him than one of twenty-five in a classroom, but she was to me. She was my apprentice, now, and every choice she made would directly reflect on my ability to mentor her. I worked hard to maintain a perfect and respectable record. Could I trust Rose not to mar it?

As I expected, when Stan spotted Rose, he singled her out, "What's this? No one told me we had a guest speaker here today. Rose Hathaway. What a privilege! How very _generous_ of you to take time out of your busy schedule and share your knowledge with us." His sarcasm was nasty, his sneer threatening, but Rose didn't respond to his baiting. "Well, come on, come on." He continued. "Don't sit there! Come up to the front so you can help me lecture the class." His fake kindness emphasized his dissatisfaction with Rose sitting in his class. He obviously felt that she should not be allowed to return.

Trying to make herself smaller, Rose slumped in her seat. After an uncomfortable moment, she nervously replied, "You don't really mean—"

"I mean _exactly _what I say, Hathaway. Go to the front of the class." He snapped each syllable of each word, all friendly pretenses gone and distain dripping from his words.

Show no weakness, Rose strongly walked to the front of the class. She confidently flipped her hair over her shoulder and I again noticed the inappropriateness of her shirt and wished I'd allowed her to change before returning to the Academy. When she turned to face the class, her eyes swept the room meeting mine. She blushed and looked away. I had relaxed my guardian expression to give her an encouraging smile, but I don't think she caught it.

"So, Hathaway. Enlighten us about your protective techniques." Stan was enjoying himself. I hoped Rose would maintain her self control.

"My techniques?" Rose questions, the music in her voice ringing through her nervousness.

"Of course. Because presumably you must have had some sore to plan the rest of us couldn't understand when you took an underage Moroi royal out of the Academy and exposed her to constant Strigoi threats."

"We never ran into any Strigoi." She was fighting her control.

"Obviously. I already figured that out, seeing as you're still alive," Stan's emphatic tone stressed each syllable again. Rose pressed her lips into a hard line, holding back her retort. But Stan continued his cruelty. "So what'd you do? How'd you make sure she stayed safe? Did you avoid going out at night?"

"Sometimes."

"_Sometimes_." Stan was angry. "Well then, I suppose you slept during the day and stayed on guard at night?"

"Er…no." Rose's cheeks betrayed her, showing her embarrassment.

"No? But that's one of the first things mentioned in the chapter on solo guarding." Stan paused. "Oh, wait, you wouldn't know that because _you weren't here_."

"I watched the area whenever we went out." Rose's words were cold and I suspected they were an edited version of what she really wanted to say. I was proud of her control.

"Oh? Well that's something." Stan's sneer made it clear he thought that meant nothing at all. "Did you use Carnegie's Quadrant Surveillance Method or Rotational Survey?" Rose didn't respond. My fingers were bruising my hands and I realized just how angry Stan's treatment was making me. My fists were tight behind my back. "Ah. I'm guessing you used Hathaway Glance-Around-When-You-Remember-To Method."

Rose's anger bubbled over and she snapped back, "No! That's not true. I watched her. She's still alive, isn't she?"

"Because you got _lucky_." My anger boiled as Stan continued constant stream of humiliating questions. Of course, everyone was upset the Princess was in danger but Rose _did_ protect her for 2 years at her own personal risk—and sacrifice; I recalled how Rose flipped her hair over her shoulder exposing her bare neck to Valissa. Why couldn't anyone acknowledge her success? And besides, no one actually uses Carnegies Quadrant Surveillance Method or Rotational Survey. They look good on paper, but usually, they aren't practical. Understanding the principals isn't as important as having good instincts, and Rose had great instincts.

I could see the frustration build in Rose and it looked like she was fighting off tears, but for the most part, she controlled her temper. Stan threatened her grade and field experience, and Rose was defeated as she returned to her seat.

Her following classes progressed much like the first two. She was reminded again of her physical inferiority to her peers in weight training, but she didn't quit. When lunch approached, it was apparent she was relieved.

I quickened my pace to catch up with her, slowing it again to match her slow and labored movements. She was in pain. "I suppose you saw what happened in Stan's class."

"Yes."

"And you don't think it was unfair?" As much as I didn't agree with him, I wasn't going to undermine him to a student.

"Was he right?" I avoided her question. I could use this as a teaching experience. "Do you think you were fully prepared to protect Valissa?"

Ashamed, broken, she responded, "I kept her alive." She meant more than just protecting her, she sustained Valissa as well. I didn't comment on that.

"How did you do fighting your classmates?" My question offended her, but she comprehended my intention. "If you can't fight _them_…"

She interrupted, defeated, "Yeah, yeah. I know." Her head hung. Her words were laced with the punishment she was inflicting on herself. I decided to be less harsh. I didn't want to completely break her; I just wanted her to grasp the importance of her training.

"You're strong and fast by nature. You just need to keep yourself trained. Didn't you play sports while you were gone?"

"Sure, now and then."

"You didn't join teams?"

"Too much work. If I'd wanted to practice that much, I'd have stayed her." Her attempt at joking was defensive and she was being difficult. Very difficult. She needed to drop her guard for me to help her.

"You'll never be able to really protect the princess if you don't hone your skills. You'll always be lacking."

"I'll be able to protect her," Rose promised. I believe her. It would be hard work to develop her skills in time, but she would do it.

But she needed to realize, "You have no guarantees of being assigned to her, you know—for your field experience _or_ after you graduate." I was emphatic, but I tried to keep an edge from my words. "No one wants to waste the bond—but no one's going to give her an inadequate guardian either. If you want to be with her, then you'll need to work for it. You have your lessons. You have me. Use us or don't. You're an ideal choice to guard Valissa when you both graduate—if you can prove you're worthy. I hope you will."

When Rose spoke, her words were automatic and lifeless. I wasn't sure she even realized what she was saying. "Lissa. Call her Lissa." I smiled unnoticed and walked away.

I meant what I had said to Rose. She had the ability to succeed and I wanted her to prove her worth at the Academy. I told her she was an ideal choice to guard Valissa—Lissa—but I didn't only mean because of her bond. Lissa's royal status guaranteed her two guardians and I needed the second one to be someone I know and can trust. I still have a lot to learn about Rose, and she has a lot to learn, but somehow, I already trusted her. She and I would do well guarding the Princess together. _You have me._ I hoped she heard the unspoken vow to see her through this.

Unconsciously, I had walked to the gym for a workout, but as approached the front doors, I no longer had the energy. I decided to report back to Alberta about Rose's day and clear the office I had commandeered as headquarters for the girls search team. As I briskly walked back towards the commons and administration building, I passed Prince Victor and his guardians. His expression struck me. Hungry. Mischievous. _Dangerous_. His guardians seemed intense. All my original suspicions came back to me in a rush and I could sense something was wrong.

As he passed, he shifted his appearance to be more haggard and worn down, looking extremely ill again. There was no doubting his illness, but I realized that he used it to manipulate others to get what he desired. I froze when he called out to his target behind me, "Rose." His voice was weaker than he appeared a moment ago, and I slipped behind a tall hedge to listen. Something about his demeanor made me nervous.

I couldn't see Rose, but I had a clean line of sight of the Prince and his guardians. Something about them reminded me of old American Mob movies, complete with a Mob boss and his muscle. Prince Victor's protection looked more like enforcers than guardians.

"Mr. Dash—er, Your Highness. Hi." Rose's voice seemed to have more life in it now, but it seemed forced. Strained. Exhausted. I could relate.

The Prince and Rose exchanged pleasantries, her voice becoming terse. Then Prince Victor changed the direction of the conversation. His words were hesitant, but an eager glint in his eye indicated he was leading up to his true intention for the conversation. "I wanted to tell you… I understand the gravity of what you did, but I think Headmistress Kirova failed to acknowledge something. You _did_ keep Valissa safe all this time. That's impressive."

Dismissively, Rose responded, "Well it's not like I face down Strigoi or anything." She sounded broken. Regretful almost. Because she put Lissa in danger?

Victor continued still eager. "But you faced down some things?" One henchman shifted uncomfortably.

"Sure. The school sent psi-hounds once." That caught me off guard. There was no record of that. I had considered it, but deemed them to dangerous. I would have to ask Alberta about it. Victor muttered a remark of astonishment that Rose brushed off, "Avoiding them was pretty easy."

"I've hunted with them before. They aren't _that_ easy to evade, not with their powers and intelligence." His guardians nervously glanced at each other. I wasn't sure why it was making them uncomfortable. I personally wasn't a fan of psi-hounds because I didn't like the psychic connection they shared, but many Moroi families had a few. They were useful for hunting and home protection. TO see guardians unease at the mention of psi-hounds was unusual.

Victor questioned Rose more about the encounters in the human world, doling out compliments. He also encouraged her academics, at which point hi guardians took a step forward, as if being summoned by a code word. In a hushed voice I had to strain to hear, Prince Victor continue, "You also have your bond." Between his quiet voice and his henchmen's step closer to the conversation, I was certain this was the topic for which he sought out Rose.

Rose didn't respond, and Victor persisted, "The histories are full of stories of guardians who could feel when their charges were in danger. I've made a hobby of studying up on it and some of the ancient ways. I've heard it's a tremendous asset."

"I guess." Rose's tone was polite and uninterested.

"What is it like, if you don't mind me asking?" I minded his questioned, but what could I do about it? His guardians moved closer to the conversation again.

"It's… I don't know. I just sort of always have this hum of how she feels. Usually it's just an emotion. We can't send messages or anything." She was omitting some of the true, I was certain.

"Too quickly for natural conversation, the Prince questioned, "But it doesn't work the other way? She doesn't sense you?" Rose's response must have been nonverbal because Victor questioned her further, "How did it happen?"

"I don't know. Just started 2 years ago." A hind of discomfort could be heard in Rose's words.

"Near the time of the accident?" A long moment of silence passed while Victor gazed at Rose, trying to read her expression. I wished I could see her. After a moment, enthusiasm returned to Prince Victor's face and he exclaimed, "I can still barely believe this. It's been so long since this has happened. If it did happen more often… just think what it could do for the safety of all Moroi. If only others could experience this too. I've have to do more research and see if we can replicate it with others."

"Yeah." Rose seemed eager to leave.

"Perhaps we could—"Victor's invitation was cut short when he was seized by a coughing fit. His guardians rushed to his side and escorted him indoors. I heard Rose walk away and I stayed hidden where I was, thinking.

The two bondmates in my hometown, Oksana and Mark, went to great lengths to conceal their bond. I always had the impression there was something dangerous about it. Victor's desire to exploit it made me nervous. He was too eager, as were his guardians, and the conversation was too strange to just be pleasant chit chat. Victor wanted something and I wondered if he got it.

When no one was around, I freed myself from my hiding place and continued to the office I had occupied for months.

"Belikov?" Alberta called out to me from her office. I leaned insider her door. "How did Rose do the rest of the morning?"

"She's further behind than I had hoped, but she has talent. With dedicated practice, she will be able to catch up."

"Good. I don't want to see her fail. I don't want to see her talent wasted."

"She's starting to realize the seriousness of her mistake. I think she understands the danger she put the Princess in. She'll do what she needs to be her guardian."

"Good." Alberta's response was a dismissal. I considered asking about the psi-hounds, but I was unsure how I could explain my knowledge.

My hesitation to leave caused Alberta to study me. "Dimitri," she said, losing all formality in her tone. "You need to go rest. Rose has 4 hours before class is out. Use them for yourself."

Hearing the command in her friendly words, I nodded and headed towards the novice dorms where my room was. Students were leaving lunch and heading to their next classes. Despite my attempts to ignore their chatter, random comments caught my attention.

"…And Rose said plenty of humans are willing to feed. They had no trouble getting Lissa blood…"

"…I heard Rose was pregnant. Wonder what they did with the baby…"

"…Rose is a trophy. She'll be my sex slave in no time…" My head snapped up as a Moroi senior bragged to his friends. His confidence made my skin crawl.

My mind was blank as I entered the dorm and went to my room. I was exhausted and my short break was welcomed. I glanced in the mirror on the wall and noticed the dark shadows under my eyes. Everything about my appearance seemed to droop in fatigue and suddenly, sleep seemed inevitable. My eyelids were heavy and half closed as I walked towards my bed. Before my head hit the pillow, I was fast asleep. A dreamless sleep.


	5. Yeva's Letter

**Chapter 5**

**Yeva's Letter**

My eyes snapped open only moments later, or so I thought until I saw the time on my clock. Rose's last class ended 10 minutes ago. What kind of example was I setting if I was late for our first training session?

As I scrambled out of bed, I quickly glanced in the mirror, noticing for the first time that my eyes expressed less evidence of the pain that haunted me daily. I could hardly see it anymore. Pulling my hair back into a hair tie, I ran out the door towards the gym.

Disappointed in myself, lame excuses for my tardiness flooded my mind. Would Rose buy them? As a stroke of luck—if I believed in luck—I saw Rose, standing outside of her class, talking to Valissa. With a sign of relief, I approached the girls.

Rose didn't hear me coming and I was able to catch the end of their conversation, "…see how this goes. If anything goes wrong—anything at all—we leave. No argument."

"Rose?" My voice was softer than I had intended. I didn't want to startle her, but I wanted to be commanding, a superior catching their subordinate in the wrong. Rose's cheeks darkened in embarrassment. "You're late for practice." My statement was even, trying to hide that I was late as well. I nodded my dismissal to Valissa, "Princess," and led Rose towards the practice gym.

Rose looked as worried as her promise to Valissa sounded. I knew I should question her about what I overheard, but I chose not to. I trusted her not to run again—she knew she couldn't protect Lissa—and I hoped soon she would trust me enough to confide in me if _anything at all_ went wrong.

I had barley known Rose a day, but somehow, I already cared deeply for her. All day I had felt the need to protect her. Suddenly I trusted her so easily. I'm not usually a trusting person—trust must be earned—but somehow, with Rose it was different. Maybe trust was an innate part of a mentor-apprentice relationship. Or maybe Rose was something more—I stopped my thoughts there. She's just a student, yet somehow, more like a sister.

But not quite a sister.

As we were walking, I noticed Rose tensing. I wondered what she was thinking about that go her so upset. Then, she suddenly stopped walking. Her eyes were vacant and her arms were rigid. Her expression was fearful, anxious. I called her name and received no response. Her blank eyes worried me—scared me even—and I felt my heart quicken in my chest. I closed the several foot gap between us as quickly as I could and grasped her shoulders, shaking her slightly. She still didn't respond. Panic radiated through me. Putting my face inches from her, I searched her eyes for any sign of what was happening.

"Rose? Rose?" My voice was shaking.

Life returned to her eyes. I tried to swallow, but a knot in my throat made it difficult. "Are you alright?" My voice was uneven and laced with anxiety.

"I… yeah. I was… with Lissa…" She raised her hand to her head, clearly bothered. She didn't make sense. "I was in her head."

Still concerned, more so now because of her gibberish, I tried to make sense of what she was telling me. "Her… head?"

"Yeah. It's part of the bond." The bond enabled some strange effects, so I didn't press for further explanation. I recalled the conversation with Victor and now understood what she didn't tell him. I was glad Rose kept this information to herself.

"Is she alright?" I asked as Rose's fearful expression flashed in my head.

"Yeah, she's…" Rose chose her words carefully. Maybe trying to convince herself. "She's not in danger." She spoke slowly, staring at the ground. Unsure of herself.

Still searching Rose's eyes for any indication of fever—or insanity, if I was being honest with myself—I asked, "Can you keep going?"

"Yeah. I'm fine." Her eyes softened as they met mine. I could tell she was reading my expression. I let go her shoulders, suddenly self-conscious. We continued to the gym in silence.

When Rose went to change into her gear, I replayed what had just happened. I believe Rose about being _with Lissa_, but there was still a lot for me to learn about their bond. I didn't understand their connection through their bond, and I didn't understand my response—my worry and fear. Would I have responded similarly had it been another students acting so weird? I knew the answer, thought I didn't want to admit it. Why did she have such a hold over me? I thought about her eyes—deep brown, beautiful. So beautiful—and the way she gazed into mine. My stomach tightened with a flutter of unknown emotions.

"Hey Comrade?" She pulled me from my thoughts and I immediately sought the connection in her eyes. Curious what I would feel. Nothing unusual. "Maybe you should let me off today. Give me a break?" She joked.

I laughed, real laughter, for the first time since Ivan died. I was startled when her expression hardened, like I had hurt her feelings.

"Why is that funny?" She tried to be cold, but it was somewhat cute.

"Oh." Then it hit me. She wasn't kidding around. I ceased my laughter. "You were serious."

"Of course I was! Look, I've technically been awake for _two_ days. Why do we have to start this training now? Let me go to bed. It's just an hour."

As she spoke, she became increasingly more desperate. By the end of her speech, she was whining and that irritated me. I knew she was exhausted, but she was also _very_ far behind. Maybe she wasn't taking her training as seriously as I had thought. My light, jovial mood vanished. The weight of her inexperience brought back my guardian expression, my lack of emotion. I stood to my full height and crossed my arms so she would see how serious I was.

"How do you feel right now? After the training you've done so far?"

"I hurt like hell."

"You'll feel worse tomorrow."

"So?" Her indifference irked me further.

"So, better to jump in now while you still feel… not as bad." I enunciated each syllable. I had no doubt she's be in extensive pain in the morning.

"What kind of logical is that?"

I ignored her question and directed her into the weight room. Pushing her self-imposed limits of what was possible, I gave her each exercise and the number of reps she was to complete. I left her to complete her workout herself and grabbed my novel that I had left in here the other day. I made myself comfortable in the corner while Rose trained. She needed to learn motivation and determination, a lesson best discovered by pushing through a difficult situation on your own accord. I watched Rose over my book, and as I had expected, she didn't give up. She completed her workout quicker than I had anticipated.

When Rose was about finished, I was stiff from sitting on the floor. So I joined her from some cool down stretches. While we were holding a stretch, she turned her head to me and smiled. "How'd you end up Lissa's guardian? You weren't here a few years ago. Were you even trained at this school?"

This wasn't a conversation I wanted to have. I warred with blowing her off or telling her about myself. But I wanted her to trust me, so I opted to be open. Somewhat. "No. I attended the one in Siberia."

"Whoa. That's got to be the only place worse than Montana."

Always joking. I enjoyed that. "After I graduated, I was guardian for a Zeklos lord. He was killed recently." As I spoke those words, I realized it was for the first time. I had never really talked to anyone about this. "They sent me here because they needed extras on campus. When the princess turned up, they assigned me to her, since I'd already be around. Not that it matters until she leaves campus."

It was easy to talk to Rose, but I didn't exactly explain the truth of my assignment. Something told me that if she realized how long I had been here doing nothing but searching for her and Lissa, she'd feel guilty. I didn't want that. And besides, the Academy did need me on campus—for the search—and Valissa only became my charge once she was found, technically. I wasn't completely lying. Only being a bit misleading.

Because I was trying to convince myself I hadn't lied, it took me a moment to realize that Rose had asked if Ivan died when I was on duty. "No. He was with his other guardian. I was away."

Thinking about the night my charge was murdered brought back a flood of old memories and old questions. Ivan had been so adamant about my leave. I wondered if he suspected he was being hunted. Did he send me away to spare my life? Surely he knew I would die to protect him. Would I have been able to?

Rose, looking guilty, graciously changed the subject, freeing me from the painful memories. "Hey, did you come up with the plan to get us back? Because it was pretty good. Brute force and all that."

'I arched my eyebrow to emphasize my question, "You're complimenting me on that? I recalled brushing her away and the anxiety I felt as I reached out to stop her from falling. I concealed the smile that tried to creep into place on my face.

"Well, it was a well of a lot better than the last one they tried." That piqued my interest.

"Last one?"

"Yeah, in Chicago. With the pack of psi-hounds." My mind began traveling in several different directions. I was pretty certain the school never sent psi-hounds. And, there was no record of the Academy even knowing they were in Chicago. No record of knowing where they were at all, until Portland.

"This was the first time we found you. In Portland." My voice was confident, but I was slightly uncertain.

Rose sat up from her current stretch and crossed her legs as I held my stretch longer. She pressed on about the psi-hounds, "Um, I don't think I imagined psi-hounds. Who else would have sent them? They only answer to Moroi. Maybe no one told you about it."

"Maybe," I responded with little enthusiasm. Her question bothered me. Who would have sent them? If it wasn't the Academy, that meant Valissa was potentially being hunted by other Moroi families. But who? Prince Victor flashed into my mind, but he would have alerted the school if he too was conducting a search. My suspicions of him stemmed from personal feelings, but I knew he would never put the Princess in danger. But then who?

I had found myself back in my room with no recollection of how I got there. I had been so deep in thought trying to figure out how and why Prince Victor would send psi-hounds after the girls, and chastising myself for letting my personal feelings about the Prince cloud my judgment. Anger welled up inside of me and I redirected my thoughts to something else.

I recalled the conversation that Rose and I had had about my path leading to the academy. _I was guardian for a Zeklos lord. He was killed recently._ Hearing myself voice as I explained about Ivan, I realized just how dead to my world I had become. In my attempts to cover my pain, I stopped feeling altogether. I still had my life, but I had been dead inside.

Something about Rose was bringing me back to life. When I was with her, I felt more like myself that I had since Ivan died. Ivan. He was such a great friend since we were very young. When he graduated, he requested me as his guardian, solidifying our lifelong friendship. We had formed a bond, not like the one Valissa and Rose shared, but the kind forged through years of trust, loyalty, brotherhood. When I was with Ivan, I could truly be myself. No pressures. No obligations. No roles. I was me.

And now Rose was reminded me what that meant. What it means to be me.

As I lay in bed comparing Rose and Ivan, I realized my feelings of concern and protection for Rose were the same that I had for Ivan. My concern for her was different than what I would have felt for other students, but no different than how I felt about my best friend.

Sleep evaded me. I was overwhelmed with memories of Ivan. Good memories. Not the same ones that had been haunting me since his death. Memories of wrestling around, parties, conversation about life. I remembered what it was like to be happy, and vowed that I would find that again. I was suddenly ashamed of how I'd been living my life the last several months. Ivan would have been so disappointed me. I was disappointed in myself.

As memories continued to flood over me, I surrendered myself to the emotions they elicited. Happiness. Fear. Remorse. Determination. Concern. And with concern came the memory of Rose staring into my eyes. Reading me. My stomach clenched as I remembered her searching my soul.

Realization hit.

I scrambled from my bed to find Yeva's letter. Hectic in my search. It had been so long since I'd read it that I wasn't quite sure where it was anymore. My tidy room was quickly undergoing an upheaval, until at long last I saw the familiar scrawl of my grandmother's. I pulled the letter from the envelop, tattered from continual handling. The ink was smudged with my tears and fingerprints, but I was still able to read what she wrote.

_Dimka~_

_Sometimes we don't understand the turns life takes, but from sadness, happiness will be rebuilt. Mourn for your loss, but don't lose yourself. The morning after the storm is a beautiful one. But open to the change that is coming, because it is coming. Don't shut it out. Beauty, youth and love will surround you, but so will fear, grief and greed. Be prepared. Two will enter your life. One will see your soul. The other will save it. Be careful not to lose them. It is important that you don't shy away from them. Your life can't be what it's meant to be without these two. Without this change. _

_Remember who you are, Demka. Remember you are loved._

No signature. I didn't need it. Only Yeva could be so certain about what my future would hold.

I had read Yeva's letter so many times in the days following Ivan's death, but ignored the warnings. I was overcome with grief and I lost myself. I recalled my grandmother's words earlier today, before I agreed to mentor Rose, wondering if she was one of the _two_ my grandmother foresaw, but now I was certain she was. The way Rose gazed into my eyes, it felt like she was tickling my soul, seeing right through my façade to who I truly am, to who I'm supposed to be.

I couldn't place my feelings for Rose. She wasn't quite a sister, and now I understood why. The seer of my soul wasn't a responsibility, as a little sister is—it's not my duty to protect her, but rather my desire. With my realization came the understanding that no one could replace Ivan, ever, but Rose could—if Yeva was correct, and she always was, Rose would—become the strength Ivan was. My encouragement. My confidant. A smile played at my lips when I realized the relationship that was forming. Trusting. Loyal. Equals. Friends.

_Friends._

Once I was at peace with my memories and new realization, sleep came easily. I awoke the next morning refreshed and ready to face a new day. I use to dread the morning and the façade I was forced to wear through the day—a façade of a man with no pain, no emotion—before I could find respite back in my room. But for the first time since arriving in Montana, I was excited to welcome the new day.

I felt my room early to meet Rose for her morning training session. After her multiple beatings yesterday, I knew she would be sore. I wasn't surprised when she joined me nursing a limp with pain written on her face. My instinct to protect her at the moment from more pain was outweighed by the knowledge that these sessions would potentially be her saving grace in the future. So, I had no hesitation in starting our training session.

"You ready?" My smile could be heard in my words. Rose glared at me for a moment in response before grunting her consent to start.

After a warm up lap around the gym, I walked her through a series of stretches to help loosen her protesting muscles. As we stretched side by side, I knew I was radiating happiness, but I secured my guardian mask before continuing our session. Rose seemed so caught up in her soreness to notice. I knew she had a grueling day ahead of her so I decided jogging would be most beneficial to ease her muscle pain.

"Stretching help?" I asked as she massaged her hamstring.

"Sure." She was sarcastic but she seemed to move a little easier. I could tell she was really concentrating hard on her each movement she made.

"You're going to run this morning. Are you ready?" I kept the smile from my voice this time, but I knew if she looked into my eyes she's still see it. She didn't.

I led her to the track outside, running the first of 12 laps with her. My muscles quickly remembering their form and rhythm. Rose was slower than me, so I matched her easy pace. My breath came easily, but I could tell Rose was struggling by the end of the first lap. I was right to start with running. Sometimes it was a guardians' only option for survival, and Rose wasn't fast enough. This would become part of our routine. Her routine. I hated running in the cold, and temperatures were quickly dropping. I stepped aside, and watched as she continued; noting her form and her stride needed some direction.

As we ran, I saw her gait loosening and becoming more natural. Her pain wouldn't be completely eliminated, but hopefully the intensity would subside. I lost myself in the simplicity of her run. It wasn't until the sound of other students making their way to breakfast reached my ears that I realized our hour had elapsed. When Rose completed her lap, we began cool down stretches.

Rose and I walked back to the dhampir dorms in silence. Her eyes were trained on the ground and I noticed how she was still breathing deeply. My breath had long since returned to normal. Rose's stamina would need some work.

I left Rose to get ready for the day. Our training had run long and I knew she wouldn't have time for breakfast. Continuing her next classes without protein would be detrimental t her, so I showered quickly and snuck off to grab food. Breakfast was wrapping up for the other students in the commons, and not much food was left. I grabbed some yogurt, toast and a slice of ham and made my way back to the dorm.

Rose was just walking out of the dorm when I arrived. With her slicked back pony tail and fresh workout clothes, she looked more awake then when I left her. I handed her my loot with an unmet smile. "You look like you're feeling better," I commented on her easier movements as we progressed to class.

"Mmhmm." She answered with a mouth full of food. I handed her some water to chase down her breakfast and she inclined her head in thanks. After she inhaled her food, she spoke her first full sentence of the day, "I prefer my breakfast with more grease, chocolate, and caffeine, but this was alright. Thanks." She smiles and I winked in response as we entered the practice gym for her first class. Again, Rose received a beating at the hands of her friends, but she was working hard to improve. The day past much like the previous with rough workouts, mocking jeers, and a lot of staring, but Rose stayed focused and determined. She made me proud.

Our afternoon workout was much like the day before, as well, but because of her fatigued muscles, I spotted for her. She pushed through the pain giggling when things were too difficult. Quickly I understood her giggles—like the sound of a bell choir—to indicate the intensity of her attempts to complete the exercise. She didn't like to quit and her laughter kept her working strongly. I didn't mind, either. It made me smile too.

"How was your second day back?" I asked as we were cooling down. She faced me and grunted in pain. Her cheeks were bright red with effort, her eyes glassy with pain. "That bad, huh? Did you do better in your classes today?" I knew she had. She was beginning to anticipate her friends' next moves. She was learning.

"I stopped Mason's attach once." She seemed defeated.

I clapped her on the back, "Good job!" I meant it.

"I guess, Comrade." She finished her stretches and headed towards the door.

"Rose?" She spun around to look at me, surprised to be stopped. Our eyes met and I wondered what she could see. "It gets easier," I promised. "It hurts less. Hang in there." She nodded and left the weight room.

I wasn't hungry yet, but I didn't want to go back to my room either. I was happy in the solitude of the gym, so I got a quick workout in myself. As I pounded a beat into the punching bag, I eventually lulled myself into mindlessness. I thought nothing. Felt little; concentrating only on the air moving through my lungs. The workout, the day, they were both good.

The rest of the week continued the same as the first two days. Rose was taking advantage of training with me and I discovered my stoic guardian demeanor produced better results in her workout than an encouraging one. I hadn't realized how relaxed I'd let myself become around Rose until I had to fight to control and conceal all my emotions behind the guardian façade. I looked forward to our training session, to seeing her smile. I had to suppress that. She didn't seem to notice the change when I morphed into the mentor I was supposed to be, and I vowed to myself not to become too relaxed again. Rose was focused on her training, on improving, on being a good student, and in return, I would focus on being the best mentor possible.

When the week was over, I was relieved for Rose's sake. It had been a brutal week of intense workouts, reestablishing her social standing, and learning just how far behind she truly was. Not only was it taking a physical toll on her, but I could sense she was also emotionally drained. She needed a few days refuge in her own room.

I was surprised to see her in church on Sunday, though her presence made me smile internally. She didn't strike me as the church-going type, but then again, my intentions weren't religious either. I had started attending church after my first Strigoi kill. I did what I had to do to protect Ivan, but I was overwhelmed with guilt. I had taken a life; even a Strigoi was once a living person. The split second after the stake pierces a Strigoi's heart, right before death overcomes the body, the victim looks as alive as any human, dhampir, or Moroi, and I wasn't expecting that. I found that church was a great place to reflect on the meaning of life. I found peace in church. I wondered what Rose found?

Valissa, of course. Leave it to Rose to discover a loophole in her punishment to spend time with her best friend. Boredom radiated from Rose as she clearly wasn't paying attention to what the Father was saying. She was enjoying the proximity to her bondmate, but not the venue.

When everyone rose to take communion, Rose remained seated, as did I. I wasn't here for faith. I was here to clear my head.

To my astonishment, when the service let out, Rose didn't rush through the doors to freedom. Instead she approached the priest with a quizzical expression. I was curious about her intent and waited in my seat at the back of the church.

As a true testament to the guardians' role to be unobtrusive, very private Moroi gossip circled the teens around me. They were unconcerned about me overhearing and I was equally uninterested in what they were saying. That was until I heard Lissa's familiar voice gasp, "No!"

Without reacting, I focused on her conversation to assess her danger.

"I'm serious," an unfamiliar male voice exclaimed. "The Badica's guardian is running off to marry _another_ guardian. Can you believe it?"

I listened as Valissa discussed this latest drama, momentarily forgetting about Rose and her unexpected behavior. Promised guardians abandoning their charges was a disgrace in our culture, especially for reasons Moroi viewed as selfish, like pursuing a romantic relationship. I didn't agree with this societal rule, but I was unconcerned by it. Marriage isn't something I have ever considered for myself. Yeva always told me I'd be an amazing guardian. No mention of a romantic life made me certain of my future, and I was okay with that. I had accepted it. It is what it is.

My attention was brought back to the present when Lissa exclaimed, "Rose you're never going to believe this!"

Suddenly embarrassed I hadn't moved from my seat, I quietly left the church unseen by Rose or her friends. I was serious what Rose thought about the rouge guardians. I figured she probably enjoyed the scandal. Anything to upset authority.

The air was crisp with the fresh early October snow that blanketed the campus. I took slow, purposeful breathes so I could taste the fresh air and smell the frost covered pines. It wasn't quite the same as Siberia, but I really enjoyed this weather.

Behind me, in the church yard, I heard a chorus of laughter. Curiosity pulled me towards the sound and I saw that Lissa was standing, drenching wet, in a fresh pile of snow. Rose also showed the affects of the unexpected snow fall. Her hair was straight under the weight of the moisture, and she was brushing the melted snow from her face. Both girls were shivering, and Lissa's lips began to turn hues of indigo. As always, Rose was more concerned for her friend than herself, and she ripped her jacket off of her shoulders and pushed it onto the princess.

As Valissa changed into the drier coat, Rose seemed to become the focal point of taunting. I was too far to hear what was being said, but as Rose stood to her full height and squared her shoulders, I could sense her anger—her rage. I began to make my way back to where she was to calm her and defuse a fight I was sure would ensue, but to my surprise, Rose spat a few comments and then ushered Lissa away without losing her temper. I was shocked—and please—by her self-control. I was beginning to realize that maybe Rose could teach me a few things. I was so much older than her before I mastered my temper. Hell, I still struggled with it.


	6. A Dangerous Reputation

**a/n: This chapter gets pretty suggestive. I'm not sure if it deserves an M rating, but please read cautiously. Let me know if you think I should change the rating!**

**Sorry it took so long to get this out to you. It's been a work in progress during a very busy week. This is all new, not from the books at all, so let me know what you think!**

**Chapter 6**

**A Dangerous Reputation**

As the days melted into weeks, I fell into a comfortable routine at the Academy. Each morning, I trained with Rose and observed her guardian classes. I watched as her priorities shifted from primping and seeking attention to focused determination—save her notorious smartass remarks. Afternoon, I spent alone in the gym with my own workout routine, often consumed in thoughts about Rose's progress and what to teach her next. Come the evening, I was ready to train again with Rose. She was becoming stronger and more fit each day. Our training was clearly improving her skills though she still received regular beatings in her classes.

One morning as I was walking to the gym to meet Rose for our morning stretches and _her_ morning run, I was joined by Alberta for a quick chat. Her footsteps announced her, but she still apologized, "Guardian Belikov? Sorry if I startled you."

"No. You're fine." I responded.

"I just wanted to see how you're doing. You've never given me any reason to question your performance here at the Academy, but I haven't seen you much with the other guardians." Alberta continued cautiously. I could tell she was afraid to offend me. "I haven't really seen you much outside of classes and training Rose, actually."

"Thank you for your concern. I am fine, though."

Realizing I wasn't wanting to discuss my social life, Alberta nodded and left me on my way. I honestly hadn't considered my social life since arriving at St. Vladimir's. I avoided it when I first arrived, still broken over Ivan. I guess the others realized I wanted to be alone, and eventually they stopped inviting me out.

Once Rose arrived, I'd be so focused on her and rediscovering myself, I hadn't even realized the other guardians hardly spoke to me. I vowed to make more of an attempt to talk to others. I wasn't much of a partier, but I could still be friendlier.

After Rose's lessons, I slipped from the classroom and followed the other guardians to the staff lounge for lunch. Scanning the room as I always do, I noticed Luke sitting with several others. As I approached, he kicked a chair towards me with a huge grin on his face. "Belikov lives." He greeted, and the others smiled.

"Another day." I countered, spinning the chair around so I could rest my arms across the top of the backrest.

"You know Stephan, Markus, and Gordon?" Luke inclined his head indicating each of the three guardians next to him. I had seen them all, and maybe even had a cordial conversation with them, but I didn't know them.

"Is it true," the blonde man named Stephan asked. "Are you on babysitting duty with that troublemaker, Hathaway?"

A round of "ooo" followed his question and I forced a smile. "Guilty." I would so much have rather been in the gym.

"Hathaway's something else. Have you heard about all the things she use to do before she kidnapped the Princess?" Luke asked me. I was quickly catching on that Rose was a popular topic of conversation among the guardians. The four men traded stories about Rose's escapades. I had read some of them in her file, but many were new to me. Stories about parties and fights in which she broke opponents' bones. They even told a story about instigating a fight between a hamster and a crab that I had a hard time following.

Once they had exhausted those tales, Markus sighed, "Trouble she is, but damn, the body on that girl!" The others agreed with whistles, sending ripples of anger through my spine, though somehow, I managed to maintain my nonchalant posture. "No wonder all the boys want her."

Shaking his head, Gordon asked, "Are there any left who haven't had her?"

"I don't know about boys, but I wouldn't mind a turn." Markus replied. My hands tightened on the chair, the skin stretching over my clenched fist and turning white. My body vibrated with the urge slam my fist into his pretty boy face and I fought hard for control. I couldn't speak because even my jaw was locked in an effort to stay in my chair.

I focused on my breathing, wrestling for control of my body. Without missing a beat, Stephan playfully punched Markus in the shoulder, Easy boy. She's still a student. You can wait a year." He eyes me, noticing my anger and offered me an excuse to leave. "Belikov, you mind showing me that move you used the other day?" Standing to his feet, the others eyed us both, but recognized they weren't invited to join us, and remained in their seats.

Through clenched teeth, I managed "Sure," and without looking at the others, I forced, "See you." I slammed my chair harder than I meant to when I stood to join Stephan. Anger how clouded my vision and rang in my ears. I saw nothing but Stephan's back and I followed him; I heard nothing of what the others were saying, though I was sure my abrupt departure merited some interesting comments.

"Markus is an ass. I wouldn't have been able to control myself like you did if he'd been talking about my students." Stephan offered his sympathy once we were outside.

"Hmm." I was grateful for my escape but still to furious to speak coherent sentences. I really needed something to physically take away my anger. I needed the gym.

Patting me on the shoulder, Stephan continued, "When he really pisses me off, I find the punching bag in the student gym helpful."

I didn't recall a punching bag anywhere on campus, just the students' practice dummies, and I didn't like beating on those. I guess the look I gave Stephan mirrored my confusion because after a short pause, he instructed, "Storage closet in the back corner. Behind their equipment," and he excused himself and walked away.

I wasted no time in finding my way to the gym. I slammed through the doors and stormed to the storage closet Stephan had mentioned. I found the punching bag easily and quickly anchored it to a chain hanging from the ceiling.

As Markus's words echoed in my memory, I pounded the bag. I wasn't sure why his words bothered me so much but they had almost cost me my control. I didn't lose control, not anymore, not since I was thirteen and attacked my Moroi father in the same way he attacked my mother. With my fists. But I couldn't think about that.

Why did Markus's words sting like daggers of fury? Seeing Rose interact with her male peers, I had guessed she'd been promiscuous, in the past, but the way Markus talked about her… It wasn't right.

Recalling Marcus's disrespectful words added force my moves and the impact of my fists and knees on the leather of the punching bag reverberated throughout the empty gym, though they didn't drawn out the memory of his comment. _I wouldn't mind a turn_. Disgusting! Rose is a student. Markus is younger than my 24 years, but still an instructor. He shouldn't talk about Rose—any student—like that.

If I were to be honest with myself—and I was, only for the moment it took me to banish the forbidden thought from my mind—it wasn't that Rose was a student that bothered me. It was the thought of anyone having _a turn_ with her. Touching her.

I was quickly learning that all the boys—and guardians, too, apparently—saw in Rose were the perfect curves of her hips and chest. They couldn't see the knowledge, determination, and loyalty that hid behind her beautiful chocolate eyes, her eyes that sparkled when her full lips turned into gorgeous smile. Somehow, she'd created a reputation as a trophy sex toy, and that was the fuel that made my rage burn.

Rose was worth so much more than her reputation.

Slamming my fists one last time into the punching bag, I let my anger ring through my voice, and yelled as my aggression ebbed away. I fell to the ground in exhaustion, and rested my arms on my knees, my head on my arms. _Trahnites, Roza. Chto Vy sdelali? _ My thoughts slipped into Russian.

As I slowed my breathing and clamed myself, I analyzed everything that had happened since lunch. What Marcus had said really had bothered me. The guardians all thought so little of Rose, but she meant something to me. I was starting to realize she meant more than I thought. Rose made me long to be a better guardian, a better man. I wanted to be the best mentor possible, the mentor she deserved.

When I considered the mentor Rose derived, I was suddenly flowed with shame. I had lost my control. Again. I hated that I always had to fight to maintain my self-control. The weight of my mentor role felt heavy on my chest. The physical release of abusing the punching bag that had been so cathartic moments earlier was suddenly an appalling display of weakness. I was feeling stifled and smothered, and before I told my muscles to move, I was falling over myself to get outside.

As the fresh air filled my lungs, I centered myself and found my guardian control. I found that I could think more clearly. Luke and his friends talked a lot about Rose and I had enjoyed hearing stories about her. She use to be out of control and compulsive and I liked that I could see a change in her. So why was I so enraged when they talked about her reputation? I knew it wasn't true, but I didn't want them thinking it was either.

I hadn't realized how long I had been sitting outside of the gym until Rose walked past me with one of her amazing smiles, "Evenin' Comrade." She waved as she walked into the locker room, pulling her sleep, satin hair into a ponytail. I was struck by her extraordinary beauty. What the hell was going on?

I couldn't always control myself, but it wasn't often that I was confused about my feeling. Until now, until Rose, that is. I didn't understand why I couldn't figure out my feelings. I always felt too protective over her. Worried about her. Concerned. I had convinced myself it was a normal feeling for a mentor/apprentice relationship, but now, I wasn't so sure.

When Rose came back outside, I couldn't even look her in the eyes. I was embarrassed; I didn't want her to see my weakness, my war, my confusion. Without moving, I sent her off to run the track—3 miles, 12 laps—and left for my dorm.

Rose completely consumed my thoughts. I collapsed in bed, Markus's words echoing in my mind. I surrendered my consciousness to the darkness and fell fast asleep.

I was confused—and very excited—to be wrapped in Rose's embrace, our bodies pressed tightly together. My hands explored her perfect body, one tracing the curves of her glorious hips, the other entangled in the softness of her dark locks. I gazed into her eyes, about to brush my lips against hers, eager to taste her lips, her breath. My heart responded to my anxious desire…

Ripping me from my dream.

My breath was fast, uneven, and my boxers were tight against my swollen response to my illicit dream. I jumped from my bed, from the place of my sin, in shock. I was disgusted with myself for my unconscious transgression, yet it continued to loop in my memory, preventing my heart and breath to return to normal.

I paced my room, contemplating the meaning of the dream. I wanted to ignore how eager the dream made, but I could still feel her arms wrapped around me. I longed for her arms wrapped around me.

No, that was just the dream.

Der'mo, Dimitri! Chto ja delaju?

Still in my sweaty clothes from my afternoon work, I escaped my room, hopelessly trying to escape the vivid memory of the dream—the feel of her soft flesh beneath my finger tips, the sound of her breathy sigh in response to my touch. No.

I had to see Rose. I had to convince myself the feels that imprisoned me were dream-induced.


	7. Nothing  More

**Chapter 7**

**Nothing More**

It didn't take me long to find Rose. Somehow, I knew right where she would be. I bypassed her room and continued straight outside.

I welcomed the familiar cold air that greeted me as I rushed out the front door of the building. Most students would be enjoying each other's company during dinner, but instinctively, I turned away from the commons and quickly made my way to the practice gym.

Memories of my dream flashed through my mind at regular intervals. The feel of Rose's embrace made my stomach tighten, and I tried, hopefully, to convince myself those feelings were just the lure of the dream. I hated the confusion that had washed over me since I had awakened.

As I approached the gym, I was suddenly stricken by panic. What would I feel when I saw her? I hoped I'd realize my foolish feelings were in fact dream-induced. Didn't I? My legs stopped carrying me towards the gym. Like a coward, I contemplated leaving, going back to my room, afraid of what I would discover. I was engulfed by such strong feelings from the dream. I had to see that they meant nothing. Or they meant something. Could I live with either?

I forced one foot in front of the other, suddenly dragging the weight of the situation with each step. I had to understand all the emotions that caused my head to spin in confusion, and I was certain that talking to Rose would bring me clarity.

It took several minutes—or maybe just a couple of seconds—to reach the door to the gym. As I had expected, Rose had gone above and beyond my workout instructions and was putting in additional time in the weight room.

She didn't see me standing in the doorway watching her.

She was stunning. Her beautiful dark hair was pulled back in a sloppy style, with stray strands plastered to her cheeks and neck by a thin sheen of sweat. Her workout clothes hugged every inch of her perfect body, framing the lean muscles she was developing. I watched her rotate through her workout routine, determined and peaceful.

With her so close, the memories of the dream faded and I as transfixed by her presence. I couldn't' suppress the smile that stretched across my lips as I watched her train, and I didn't want to. I was in awe just watching her.

Anxious about her seeing me and being unable to explain why I was lurking, I tore my eyes away from Rose when she began her cool-down stretches and jogged back to my room. I sat in silence on the floor. My mind raced through everything that had happened, yet again. After hours of brooding, I convinced myself that my feelings for Rose were no more than for the relationship that was developing and my dream was a result of many shared hours together. Nothing more.

I forced myself to ignore my sudden interested in her beauty, convincing myself there was nothing wrong at all with a man noticing a beautiful woman, and damn, Rose was beautiful.

_But nothing more._ I repeated to myself for the hundredth time. _Nothing._

Despite my earlier nap, I fell asleep easily that night. Rose danced through my dreams, but even my subconscious seemed to fold to my new resolve. Rose was my apprentice, a future friend. Nothing more.

When I awoke the following morning, my first thoughts were about Rose. I quickly discovered that I would now be fighting for control of my thoughts to keep them from dwelling on Rose. She was an important aspect of my life at the Academy, but I refused to let her invade all of my thoughts. I would keep her out.

In a rush to be doing something—anything—I grabbed my book and portable CD player, and jogged to the practice gym. Between a Louis L'Amour novel and some loud music, I was sure to drown Rose from my thoughts.

I knew I would be early for our training session, but I refused to just linger in my room. It would be another half hour before Rose joined me, so plugged in the radio and made myself comfortable on a mat on the gym floor.

My mind was engaged in the book for a while before thoughts of Rose began to creep in. I couldn't believe it had been three weeks ago that the guardians and I returned Rose and Valissa to the Academy. I recalled how even that first night, I was stunned by her beauty. I chuckled at myself for now I had acted the night before, how I had acted like a young school boy with a crush. Thinking about Rose again made me sure of how I felt. She was just a friend. No. Not even really a friend. I was her mentor.

Nothing more.

I was too caught up in my thoughts to be aware of my surroundings. I was completely startled when rose threw her bag to the ground, "Whoa, Dimitri." I didn't move a muscle. "I this is actually a current hit in Eastern Europe right now, but do you think we could maybe listen to something that wasn't recorded before I was born?"

Remaining motionless, I allowed only my eyes to acknowledge her, afraid my body may betray my self control. She stood with her hands resting on her hips and playful smile lighting up her face. To my surprise, I felt nothing unusual. No conflicting emotions, nothing from the dream. Returning my gaze to the book, I chanced speaking, "What does it matter to you? I'm the one who's going to be listening to it. You'll be outside running."

From my peripheral vision, I could see Rose rest her leg on one of the bars to stretch her hamstring. I noticed the contours of her beautifully sculpted ass, my eyes tracing the curves of her hips, her flat stomach—and my resolve faltered.

_Mentor_, I shouted at myself. _Nothing more._

Unaware of my wondering eyes, Rose began questioning me with her usual snarky commentary. "Hey. What's with all the running, anyway? I mean, I realize the importance of stamina and all that, but shouldn't I be moving on to something with a little hitting? They're still killing me in group practice."

"Maybe you should hit harder." My voice was even, but my light-hearted attitude matched hers.

She pouted, "I'm serious.'

"Hard to tell the difference." Staying in my place on the mat, I lowered my book, still avoiding looking at Rose. Sometimes I really couldn't read her. This time I could. I slipped into the serious guardian mentor mindset before my response. "My job is to get you ready to defend the princess and fight dark creatures, right?"

"Yup."

"So tell me this: suppose you manage to kidnap her again and take her off to the mall. While you're there, a Strigoi comes at you. What will you do?"

"Depends what store we're in."

Even when I was desperately trying to be serious and give Rose insight to my methods, she was still being comical. I gave her a frustrated look. It wasn't forced.

"Fine." She said, realizing the moment for joking around was gone. "I'll stab him with a silver stake."

Shifting into a sitting position, I locked my eyes on hers. "Oh?" I felt my question pull at my eyebrow. "Do you have a silver stake? Do you even know how to use one?"

All guardians were given silver stakes—rare weapons made with Moroi elemental magic. They can be lethal for Moroi who are cut by them; the touch of stake's powerful magic will burn a Strigoi, and a blow to the heart is one of only three ways to kill them. The other novices in Rose's class were just starting to learn how to wield a silver stake, but Rose wasn't ready yet.

It was so important that Rose fully comprehend my intention in this conversation. I was training her for life, and sometimes, her stake wouldn't always be available while in danger. She needed an engrained reaction. Fight or flight. And there were times when flight was necessary. Strigoi knew the danger of the stake and would always try to separate the weapon from its guardian in a fight. Rose needed to know how to best respond, and often, that response was to run.

"Okay, I'll cut his head off." Strategy number two for killing Strigoi, though it was very difficult and rarely practical. My frustration with how slowly she was catching on was rising. "Ignoring the fact that you don't have a weapon, how will you compensate for the fact that he may be foot taller than you?"

Straightening up from her stretches, and clearly annoyed, Rose responded with the third way to kill a Strigoi. "Fine, then I'll set him on fire."

"Again, with what?"

Her frustration mirrored min and she snapped, "All right. I give up. You've already got eh answer. You're just messing with me. I'm at the mall and I see Strigoi. What do I do?"

Happy she finally asked a relevant question, I intently gazed into her eyes. In a cold, strong voice, I replied, "You run."

My response made her angry, but I could see she understood. She finished her stretches in silence. As she prepared to go outside, I realized the silence of the gym would be overwhelming, and decided to join her on her run. Besides, I had never run the full three miles with her and I was curious to see why her times weren't improving.

As the moon fought to light the sky, the sun expelled beautiful colors that painted the horizon and highlighted the snow capped Montana mountains. Students would be beginning class in less than an hour, so Rose and I set out in the chilly October air.

As we started running, I realized just how much I had to slow my pace to match Rose. The air pierced my lungs with icy daggers, but my breathing wasn't at all labored. Only a few minutes into our run, Rose was breathing deeply.

_I gazed into her eyes, about to brush my lips against hers, eager to taste her lips, her breath._

Not wanting to think about my dream, I quickened my pace slightly and focused all my attention on the rhythm of our feet on the gravel track—save a few side long glances.

Around the end of our third lap, Rose growled in frustration and began running faster. Still an easy pace for me, I was impressed by her effort. I matched her steps again and allowed my mind to go blank as we ran in unison.

"Good form, Rose," Mason encouraged. Embarrassment began creeping up inside of me. How could I let a love-struck boy—and there was no doubting Mason was falling hard for Rose—be the first to compliment her form? I had noticed her increased speed. Heaven knows I noticed _all _of her as she ran. Why hadn't I offered her words of encouragement?

When Rose smiled and waved to Mason, a flash of anger burned in my stomach. "You're slowing down," I snapped, my voice harder than I anticipated. My inability to control my tone fed my anger and I was unable to bite my tongue from continuing, "Is this why your times aren't getting any faster? You're easily distracted?"

My words were harsh, as was my tone, and Rose's face fell beneath my reprimand. It shocked me to see how much my words seemed to sting, and unexpectedly, I was ashamed of myself. As if to prove to me she wouldn't let Mason's greeting distract her—or maybe to put distance between us—she again increased her speed. The quicker pace helped dissipate my anger and I spent the remaining three laps again trying to figure out what had just happened and why I was overcome with emotions.

Why had I been so threatened by Mason's acknowledgement of Rose? It was good that her friends were supporting and encouraging her. But Mason? He made her smile. A smile I had only ever seen when she was with me. What was it about him?

_Vy hotite byt' tem, chtoby sdelat' ee schastlivoj._ The Russian response echoed in my head, and I knew it was true. I felt threatened by Mason because he made her happy the way I wanted to be able to.

When we completed our third mile, Rose looked at me expectantly. Her cheeks were colored from the cold wind and she was doubled over nursing a stitch in her side. But, her only concern was about her time, about her improvement. She was so focused, so determined.

Glancing at my watch and filtering all the earlier frustration from my voice, I smiled at her. "I expected better." I joked, and she returned my smile when she saw my playful expression. "You actually beat your best time by two minutes." She had done really well.

"Not bad, huh?" She crowed as we made our way back to the gym. I could see the glint of pride in her eyes. "Looks like I could get as far as the Limited before the Strigoi got me at the mall. Not sure how Lissa would do."

"If she was with you, she'd be okay." I spoke before I had a chance to think about it, but I meant what I said. The pink hint in her cheeks deepened at my compliment and my stomach fluttered when she looked into my eyes.

Her gaze felt so much like it did in the dream, but I was easily able to push that memory aside. That moment with her—sharing her accomplishment and joking around—surpassed the false joy from the dream. In that moment, I knew a deep friendship would develop between us. I appreciated her beauty—my dream had proven that, and so what—but my attraction to Rose was for these moments. I had been desperately trying to convince myself she was nothing more than my apprentice, and in the moment, I finally understood—and believed—it to be true.

That moment was perfect, a defining moment for us, I was sure.

And then…

The moment was ripped away.


	8. The Fox

**Chapter 8**

**The Fox**

One moment, everything was perfect. It was the type of moment I now knew I lived for.

And then, I blinked and it was gone.

Rose's playful smile and sparkling eyes morphed into a wide-eyed, terrified expression. Before I had a chance to process the change in mood, Rose was tearing away from me at a speed quicker than when she was training. The fear and concern on her face were burned into my mind as I chased after her.

Running at my full speed, I yelled after her, "Rose! Rose, stop! What's wrong?"

My attempts to get her attention were fruitless, but I was soon by her side. She was pale—beyond pale—and her eyes were searching ahead.

And then I understood what brought on this sudden change. Something was wrong with Valissa. She was in trouble. My instincts wanted to run faster, past Rose, to the princess's aide, but I didn't know where to find her. Through the bond, Rose knew, and I trusted her to lead me to my charge.

Rose's panic was alarming and I was relieved when Valissa came running towards us. She was scared and her face was lined with tears, but she seemed unharmed. As she flew into Rose's arms, I searched for the source of her fear. The sun had set and I was certain Strigoi were lurking nearby.

I crouched ready to protect the princess and Rose—definitely Rose—and listened to the exchange between the girls. Rose was shaking Valissa, demanding the answer to my questions, "What's wrong?" She pled, "What happened?"

Every time Lissa tried to respond, her tears swallowed her words. I knew Rose was trying to read the feelings through the bond, but she seemed just as frustrated as I was with Valissa's inarticulate fear. Several minutes past without any attack, and I realized there were no Strigoi. But I still didn't relax my defensive posture. Something bad had happened; there was no denying it.

"Ma… May… my…" Valissa tried again before surrendering to her tears.

"Your what, Lissa?" Rose was frantic. Helplessness colored her begging plea.

Another fit of stuttering flew from Valissa's lips as she tried to string together a sentence. "Ba… bl… blood." She paused. "Everywhere!" she forced out her final word before her tears once again choked out her words. Again my eyes swept over Valissa searching for an injury, but what caught my attention was Rose's blank gaze. She was reading Valissa's thoughts.

All the color drained from Rose's cheeks and she gasped, "No!" A gain, Rose was running, pulling the princess behind her. I followed, wanting to be close to Rose—to know what she knew, to protect her—but instead kept the princess safe between us.

My mind quickly tried to make sense of what was happening, but I was still clueless. I realized Rose was leading us into the Moroi dorm. What was happening?

Was another student injured?

Was the bathroom flooded?

Had the tint windows broken?

Heartbreak?

As we ran to Valissa's dorm, I prepared myself for what I might find. By the time we made it to her door, I was prepared to face anything.

Except what we found.

Blood. A lot of blood.

The air in the room was dense with the small of iron and something else. Something different. Something woodsy. It took me a moment to determine what the mangled bloody mess really was. A fox.

And it lay dead on the princess's bed.

I wanted to protect the girls from seeing what I saw, but I knew I was the last to know. So instead of shielding their eyes as my instincts dictated, I sprinted from the room to get help. In the hall, I ran into Stephan.

I grasped his shoulders and tried to convey the urgency through my eyes. "The Princess has been threatened. Send for the Headmistress and being help to her dorm now."

He understood and reacted immediately. Within a quarter of an hour, Stephan returned with Headmistress Kirova, two other guardians, Yuri and Garret, and the hall matron. Valissa still cried into Rose's shoulder. The commotion was gathering a lot of attention as the adults tried to determine the meaning of the dead fox.

Natalie, Victor Dashkov's daughters and friend to Princess, pushed through the crowd and sat quietly in the corner of the room. She was appropriately disgusted, but as with her father, I felt something was off about her. My prejudice against the Dashkov family was really starting to interfere with my judgment.

Valissa moved from Rose's shoulder, attracting my attention. Her eyes were wide as she reached out for the dead animal. Compassion contorted her features with a longing to help. Rose hastily took her hand and gave Valissa a meaningful look. I wish I knew the meaning behind it.

"It was still alive when I got back…" Valissa whispered to Rose but I was unable to hear the rest of what she said. I glanced back at Natalie who wore an eager expression as she leaned towards the whispered conversation. I hoped she and Valissa weren't close friends because I really didn't trust her, and I didn't want to encounter her much once Valissa had graduated.

Forcing my attention to the adults in the room, I realized they were still trying to determine the meaning of the slaughter. The way the girls were whispering, I was certain they knew something but I wasn't going to put them on the spot just now. I tried to hear the girls' conversation against but was only catching odd words until Valissa's excitement overruled her volume control. Her voice was barely audible, "Rose… do you remember… that one time..."

Panic—fear—flashed over Rose's face as she scolded the Princess. "Stop it. Forget about it. This isn't the same thing."

They did know something.

Natalie? She looked very interested in the conversation, but frustrated. She couldn't hear. I hoped she couldn't. Something about Rose's demeanor made me trust the secrecy she kept. Whatever they were talking about needed to stay quiet—not just from Natalie—I was sure.

The girls' whispers were no longer audible, but I knew Rose was firmly consoling Valissa. No longer trying to conceal her interest, Natalie started openly at Valissa. I was watching Rose.

"Get this cleaned up and find out if anyone saw anything." The Headmistress directed as she swept from the room.

Those around me sprang into action. Stephan clapped me on the back and whispered to me, "Rose knows something. Get her out of here and see if you can figure it out. I will stay with the princess." My eyes met his. I nodded. "Keep this quiet. Go."

As I led a protesting Rose away, I realized that Stephan recognized the importance and severity of this threat as well. It was more than a threat of the last Dragomir's life. IT was something personal. Something huge.

Each step away from the princess made the situation seem more urgent. More dangerous. I didn't want to leave the princess, but I also didn't want to leave Rose alone either. I couldn't.

Rose had given up on returning to Valissa. She was whimpering to herself as we approached the novice dorm. Scheming. "I have to keep her safe. I have to protect her," Rose kept whispering to herself.

With those words came the memory of our return to the Academy. _I did keep her safe! I kept her safe when none of _you_ could do it. I took her away to protect her._

"You know something." I accused her before I could stop the words from forming on my lips. I was glad that no one was around. We wouldn't be overheard. "Something about what happened," I continued. "Is this what you meant when you told Headmistress Kirova that Lissa was in danger?"

"I don't know anything," Rose proclaimed defiantly. "It's just some sick joke."

I wanted to ask if she was in danger, but instead, I asked, "Do you have any idea who'd do it? Or why?"

Rose hesitated before answering. "No. No clue." She said as she turned her back on me, ashamed.

"Rose, if you know something, tell me. We're on the same side. We both want to protect her. This is serious." Somehow, I kept my voice strong—void of the emotions. Void of fear. I did want to protect the Princess, but I also wanted to keep Rose safe.

In a graceful, fluid movement, Rose spun around and glared at me. She radiated anger and worry as she spat, "Yeah, it _is_ serious. It's all serious. And you have me doing laps everyday when I should be learning to flight and defend her! If you want to help her, then teach me something. _Teach me how to fight_. I already know how to run away."

As she spoke, Rose's words ripped at me, but the tears that were trapped in her eyes tore me apart. Somehow, through her passionate outburst to protect her friend, I held my guardian express—my control. Not knowing how to respond, but knowing I couldn't comfort her the way I wanted, I beckoned Rose towards class, ignoring what she had said. "Come on. You're late for practice."

I followed Rose into the practice gym. She was angry and did little to try to hide it. Channeling her aggression into her moves, Rose finally left a fight victorious. Her opponent had no chance.

Watching her determination and control as she practiced, I realized the best way for me to protect Rose was to teach her how to fight. She had talent. Huge potential. Qualities that were detrimental for the out-of-control. But when it came to her bond-mate, Rose showed she was ready.

Was I?

I still feared it was too soon. I knew she would be an excellent guardian, but the thought of training her to fight made me uneasy. For the slightest moment, my mind's eye saw Rose approaching a Strigoi battle—a thought that made me nauseous—but I knew, in that situation, I'd rather her be properly trained than facing a battle unprepared.

I watched Rose as Mason congratulated and comforted her. She seemed proud, but clearly, her mind was on Valissa. Mason led her in the direction of her next class, and only with a slight hesitation and a glance back to Valissa's dorm, she followed.

As she entered her class, I turned on my heels and sprinted back to Valissa's dorm myself. The room had been cleaned and Valissa's bed was replaced. Stephan was giving his final instructions to the clean-up crew when I entered. They dismissed themselves, leaving Stephan and me alone.

"Did she tell you anything?" He asked, ignoring any pretense.

"No. She's angry. She doesn't know who to trust. Including me. But she knows something." I was looking around the dorm as we spoke. Interestingly, there was no obvious point of forced entry. Whoever did this had access.

"So what happened?" I was hoping Stephan has some information.

"Valissa claims the door was locked when she came to find the fox. It doesn't make sense."

"No." I agreed. "Did anyone see anything?"

"Just the princess running away."

"Her roommate?" I began to look around the room trying to make sense of what happened. I searched every detail. Hoping to find something out of place, something to indicate what happened.

"Natalie?" Stephan's words cut through my concentration.

"Huh? What?" I wasn't sure what he was talking about.

"Valissa's roommate. Her name's Natalie. Prince Victor's daughter."

"Oh. Right." I said nonchalantly. _Natalie?_

Stephan was watching as I searched the room. He was quiet, not questioning me, waiting for instructions, I realized after a moment.

Finally I admitted, "I'm not sure what happened here. We watch the girls. We watch the room. Listen. Maybe we'll hear something. Discover something. And we wait for information. I'm certain this wasn't an isolated event. Whoever did this wasn't something and we make sure they don't get it."

"Okay. Kirova assigned additional guardians to the Princess. I am to help you. What do you want me to do?"

"Follow Rose. She knows something. She won't talk about it around me because she knows I'd be listening. If I'm not there, she may confide in a friend. If she does, I want you to overhear her."

"Okay."

Stephan began to leave. "Oh, and Stephan?" He grunted in response. "She'll figure it out if you're too close. She can't know you're watching her. Listening to her."

He nodded, and I sent him away. I began to search the Princess's room. My eyes scanned the room again quickly, memorizing every detail. Something near Valissa's bed caught my eye, and I did a double take searching for whatever it was.

My eyes settled on a picture. A picture of the princess and Rose. They were dressed in costumes with wings and glitter on their faces. Happy. They were completely happy. Neither of them seemed happy here, I realized. Was I right to bring them back here? I could have protected them in Portland. I could have trained Rose there. I sighed and returned to search the room.

The cleanup crew had done well, and there was nothing left for me to find. As I was leaving the room, I noticed a picture of Natalie and her father. It didn't sit right with me. Why? I knew I needed to look past my prejudice to see what was truly happening. But I couldn't. Natalie had access. That was suspicious. But her threatening the princess? Why? And how? How did she manage to kill the fox? How did she even get it into the room? And how would she have cleaned herself up in time? No, she couldn't have done it.

With no more information than I had before I searched the room, I left in frustration. Rose knew something—I was certain—I wish she would trust me enough to tell me her secret. Her silence was to protect Valissa, and that worried me. I understood that she wanted to protect the princess. I did too. And Rose. I wanted to protect them both.

I spent the rest of the vampiric day in search of any clues about the dead fox. Valissa's room left me no clues, so I turned to girls' peers. I talked to several students, all of whom confirmed they saw nothing. Most of them had more questions for me than I was willing to answer. Many of them verbalizing my own questions.

As I was speaking to one Moroi, I spotted Natalie. She was watching me, concern painted across her features. I wanted to talk to her, but I wasn't sure what questions I wanted to ask. I was still suspicious. I shouldn't be, but I was.

The students had nothing to offer me—nothing I didn't already know—and I was frustrated with their nosey curiosity. I slipped away back to the office I use to occupy, again focused on whatever secret Rose was keeping. Not knowing where else to turn, I studied the girls files. I had memorized them before, but hoped for some insight.

Valissa's file was thick with details from her family's accident and the Academy's plan to protect her. Teacher's notes filled the pages with anecdotal stories and concern. As I flipped through the pages, a note caught my eye. It was dated just before the girls ran away, "_Watch Valissa. Protect her_. _You have to stop her._ _S.K."_ It was followed by more notations from other teachers about an increase in Valissa's strange behaviors.

_S.K.? _It was familiar, but I couldn't place it. I wasn't sure what the note meant, but instincts told me to look into more. Later.

I reached for Rose's file, reading through the pages more carefully. Now that I knew Rose, her file seemed biased. Unfair. Misunderstood. Her file was decorated with stories of challenging authority and pushing boundaries. Following the Dragomir accident—which only received a small notation in Rose's file—there was a change in Rose's behaviors. Why hadn't I noticed that before? She seemed to be more physical, always claiming to be protecting Valissa. It didn't surprise me, I could see that in her.

And again, another change several weeks before they ran away. I don't know what was different. Her rational seemed more desperate. Pleading. I wish I had been around then. Would I have cared?

I found myself reading over her last offense before she ran.

_Rasemarie Hathaway confessed to destruction of property. Offense witnessed by Wade Voda, Valissa Dragomir. Account: Ms. Hathaway verbally assaulted Mr. Voda. After he left, she followed him back to his dorm to continue arguing. After locating a baseball bat, Rose broke numerous windows and furniture and attacked Mr. Voda. Ms. Dragomir was able to stop the assault before Mr. Voda was harmed. When questioned, Ms. Hathaway's only response was to shrug and question "So what?" For this offense, Rose has been suspended until further notice. Headmistress Kirova has recommended a panel be convened to determine if Ms. Hathaway's is a suitable candidate for continued novice training._

Following student accounts of the event was another small notation, _Headmistress Kirova's request has been denied. Ms. Hathaway will remain at St. Vladimir's Academy._

I read the account several times. Never before had Rose refused reasoning for her actions. Never before had her responses been so calm. Something about this was wrong. I checked the date. It was the day after S.K. left the note in Valissa's file. Were they connected? Who was S.K.? Why the warning?

Not knowing where else to turn, I gave into a curious impulse. I searched student files until I came upon Natalie's. Her file was small, containing very little. As I expected, I found nothing, with the exception of a punishment for wandering campus after hours several times. With a sigh, I returned her file to its place.

S.K.? Why just the initials? Who was it? I searched student files and found nothing. There were no staff members with matching initials either.

I wasn't sure what any of this information meant, but I knew I was wasting my time. It was interesting, but nothing to do with the fox.


	9. A Change in Rose

**Chapter 9**

**A Change In Rose**

Frustrated with the lack of information, and no clue where else to turn, I found my way back to Stephan. Rose still had another class before I was suppose to meet her for training. It should give Stephan and me some time to talk.

I knew Rose's schedule. I knew Stephen would be with her as I had requested. I headed towards the Animal Behavior classroom.

Stephen was standing near Rose. Nonchalant, leaning against the wall with his arms behind his head. He was close enough to overhear the conversation Rose was having with Valissa and another boy I didn't know, but casual enough that she would never notice he was there. With a quick glance in Rose's direction, he came to meet me. "Find anything interesting?"

"No. You?" I wasn't sure what I had discovered with the note signed S.K. and I still wasn't convinced at all that it pertained to the fox, so I decided to keep it to myself. For now.

"Well, it was an interesting conversation I just left. Valissa's having a hard time and Rose wants to protect her. She's ready to fight anyone who's giving the princess a hard time."

"Figures." I wasn't sure what made that interesting.

"That's not everything. " He said, as if he could hear my thoughts. "The princess mentioned _that one time_"-Stephen accompanied his words with air quotes—"and Rose stopped her. She seemed mad. Emphatic. She told Valissa that weren't even sure what happened. I have no idea what they were talking about it. But something tells me it's related."

"Thanks." As I had suspected. They knew something. There was something she wasn't telling me.

"Oh. Dimitri?" Stephan had been walking away but turned back to me. "There's something else you may want to know. Rose has just made plans to meet that boy, and based on what she told Valissa, it's not a study date."

"Oh?" I tried to keep my voice neutral, but I had a feeling that Stephan already knew that Rose meant more to me than any other student. He gave me the details of Rose's planned rendezvous with that boy. I had to agree with him that their date wasn't planned for academic gain. Thinking of Rose sneaking away with him made me uncomfortable and the urge to protect her purred anxiously in stomach. Suddenly, the mystery of the fox seemed less important.

I returned to the admin building, but despite how hard I tried to focus on the fox, I couldn't clear my mind. Rose's reputation for a good time was no secret to me. But for some reason, the thought of her turning to the arms of some immature, shallow boy bothered me. The growling emotions in my gut weren't the same as the protective urge I felt so much with Rose; instead, I was uneasy—angry. My imagination was haunting me with images of what was bound happen, causing the monster within me to roar. I wasn't going to be able to make any progress on the fox with my mind so clouded. I had to get away.

I was quickly out the door of the office that was again becoming familiar to me and making my way towards the commons and out the building when Alberta called to me. I turned to find her standing in the door of her office, a friendly, albeit concerned, look on her face.

"Dimitri?"

"Hm?" Anger was still pulsing through my veins. I feared intelligible words would betray me.

Alberta continued, unaware of the storm inside of me. "I hate to ask you this." She paused. "With this fox thing, we're increasing security around the dorms. The campus, really. We could use your help. Can I start working you into the patrolling rotation?"

I nodded.

"Can you patrol tonight?"

"No." I heard the finality in my voice. It invited no questions, and even though Alberta was technically my superior, she didn't question me. She did, however, start at the curtness of my response.

"Oh. " Another pause. "Okay. I'll let you know your schedule tomorrow then."

"Okay." I walked away. I hated to be rude. I felt bad for the way I responded to Alberta, but those thoughts only lingered in my mind for the briefest of moments as I left the building.

Instead of heading into the campus, I turned behind the commons building and made my way through the dense woods. I knew that I was leaving the protection of the magical wards protecting the Academy, but felt little fear for what might be lurking in the woods. I was certain that if Strigoi were nearby, we would know.

As I hiked through the woods, I knew that Rose would soon be meeting her date for the evening. I didn't know what to do about it. What could I do?

As I reached the top of one of the many mountains surrounding the campus, I slowed and found a place to sit and think. The quietness was daunting—loud. Drowning my thoughts. Allowing my self-control to crack for just a moment, I voiced the storm raging in me. The sound that left my mouth took no shape into words, but was full of the emotions I was battling. Anger. Disappointment. Betrayal.

And then I stopped.

My mind was clear and for a long moment I just started over the campus. It was still dark, though the sun was making its presence knowing below the horizon. Slowing the thoughts of Rose began to filter back into my mind.

"_You know, when I was in school, we didn't give our trainers lip." I had said to Rose after one of her smart-ass comments that made a smile break through my façade. _

"_When was that? Like 1915?" Her eyes glittered at my smile. Foolish girl._

"_Yeah, something like that." She laughed. That laugh has had roles in my dreams since, too. It sounded like a mixture of falling water and wind chimes. Beautiful. _

_She seemed embarrassed after she laughed—or maybe because of what she was thinking. As she blushed and brushed a stray strand of hair from her face, she looked up over her eyelashes and asked, "What's it like?" _

_I understood her question. She was asking about killing Strigoi, but I didn't want to have that conversation. I was really enjoying the playful nature of our earlier conversation and deflected her. "What, being old? I'll let you tell me in seven years!"_

_Rose was surprised. Her eyes locked with mine. "Seven years? You're young!"_

"_I thought I was old." I smiled again and redirected her back to her training. I found safety in revealing a bit of truth about myself to her. I realized again how much I trusted her to know the real me. _

_I knew she was shocked at my age. My age and the marks on my neck. She was right that I was young to be so accomplished. But there was something in the way she looked at me that I understood she was comparing our ages. She didn't think seven years was much of an age difference. She didn't realize how big a difference it really is. I was learning mathematics when she was learning to hold up her head on her own. I thought I knew what she was thinking. What she wanted from me. And I knew I could never be that for her. Seven years was a big difference._

I couldn't help but smile as I sat on the hill thinking about that conversation. She was so shocked by my age. The monster inside me purred as I thought about her smile. Her blushing. She was transparent. I knew what she was thinking when she was considering our seven year age difference, and I convinced myself that it was a huge difference. But as I sat on the hill, my though process seemed flawed. The monster purred again as my arguments against my feelings began to fall.

My feelings.

My feelings for Rose.

_Trahnites'! Kak ja pozvoljal jetomu sluchat'sja? _

The past months began to unwrap in front of me. Me wrestling with the protective nature I felt for Rose. Convincing myself she was like a sister. A future friend. Hiding my jealously under a rouse of excuses. A lie. It was all a lie.

With the clarity that came from admitting my feeling to myself came an urgency to stop whatever she was going to be doing with that other boy.

With the pounding of my feet as I tore through the woods at full speed, also came the understanding that nothing could come of my feelings for Rose. I was her mentor. I was her teacher. And despite how much I cared for her, I respected my responsibility to her. Besides, I couldn't do anything to compromise her education. One day she would be fighting Strigoi, and my only way of protecting her was to teach her. That was more important than my foolish school boy crush.

Der'mo! Ja vljubilsja bez pamjati, Roza.

The hike that took me the better part of an hour earlier only took me 20 minutes to return. I sped through the courtyard and straight for the dorms.

I tore through the staff entrance of the Novice dorm and took the stairs 3 at a time to the third floor. I hoped against all hopes that she would still be in her room. I pounded on her door, but she didn't answer. Taking a deep breath, I cleared my mind. I knew Rose. Where would she be?

The empty lounge. Of course.

I took the stairs again. As I came into the hallway, I knew I was right. I could see the light coming from under the door. And her giggle, the melodic, beautiful giggle rang through the halls.

Quietly, I approached the door. Their voices reached my ears easily.

"I am not having sex." Rose's warning washed over me with relief.

His response took a minute. Enough time for me to contemplate what I would do to him if he pushed it. With a husky voice, he responded, "Okay."

They stopped talking, my imagination kindly filled in the silence. And then Rose gasped. I took a step closer. Was he going to push her?

"Don't." Her voice was fierce. My blood pounded through my veins as a blind rage began to fill me. So help my self-control if he was going to try to force her. I would kill him.

"You want to. I can tell." He was eager. Too eager. My hand was on the door, but something held me back. I slowed my breathing and listened more.

"No, I don't."

"You do. How—hey, have you done it before?"

"No, of course not." I was surprised. Her file was filled with stories that suggested otherwise. But I was pleased.

"You act like you have. You got excited when I was by your neck." Confusion. Her neck? My eyes widened with realization. He was talking about biting her. Feeding from her. And she said no.

"You're a good kisser." She countered. I knew her well enough to hear the lie in her words, but the thought of _his_ lips on her stirred jealousy in me. I could recognize it for what it was now. Jealousy.

He kept pushing the conversation. A conversation I knew Rose didn't want to be having, and one that I didn't want anyone to know about. Her sacrifice for Valissa was sacred. I didn't want it marred by a gossiping child. Rose tried lying, but her voice was pleading, revealing her lie.

"I'm not a blood whore." Anger was rising in her voice. It was matched by the anger pulsating through me.

"But you _want_ to. You like it. All you dhamp girls do."

"Stop it." Her voice was softer. A different approach to deflect his interest in her neck. "I told you, I'm not like that. But if you want something to do with your mouth, I can give you some ideas."

As much as I didn't like the idea of her fooling around with some boy, I was comforted by the fact that she wasn't going to have sex with him, and I knew that she could handle herself. I decided to trust her and control my anger and walk away.

"Yeah? Like wha-?" But when he spoke, my hand turned and I slammed the door open. The jealousy in me wouldn't allow for me to walk away.

In the moment that it took for the door open, my jealousy turned to rage. A storming rage I had no desire to control. I crossed the room in only a couple of steps, and was only slightly surprised when my fingers curled into a fist around the pushy boy's shirts.

As he turned to me, shock eased my rage—at least a enough to stop me from hurting him. Looking into this boy's eyes, I saw something familiar. An old friend shown through those terrified eyes, and it caused me a moment of pause.

Movement over the boys shoulder reminded me of Rose's presence. Reluctantly, my eyes traveled to her for the briefest of moments and all my fury returned. "What's your name?"

My growling demand intimidated him and I found satisfaction as he stuttered his response, "J-Jesse, sir. Jesse Zeklos, sir."

Caring such a highly esteemed name did little to help my anger. "Mr. Zeklos, do you have permission to be in this part of the dorm?" I was still growling.

"No, sir."

"Do you know the rules about male and female interactions around here?"

"Yes, sir."

"Then I suggest you get out of here as fast as you can before I turn you over the someone who will punish you accordingly. If I ever see you like this again," I indicated Rose on the couch, my voice still low and snarling, "I will be the one to punish you. And it will hurt. A lot. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir." Fear poured from him as his eagerness to leave had him quaking in his skin.

"Then go." I released the boy trying not to think of his a Zeklos. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath and tried to steady myself.

In the span of just that moment, I realized I was alone with Rose. I was angry to find her in such a situation, but not at all angry at her. I was disappointed, and as I opened my eyes, I allowed my features to show my disapproval.

And then I saw her.

I mean, really saw her. As if all our time together, I'd been looking at her through foggy glasses. I noticed each strand of her beautiful hair and how it framed her features perfectly. Her shock and awe—she was in awe—was radiant. Glowing. Her skin was flawless, smooth. I wanted to reach out and brush a strand of her hair from her face, trace the soft lines of her jaw, down her neck. And then my breath caught in my chest, and I noticed the sinful way that her black bra covered her, and at the same time, revealed stunning curves.

My eyes swept over her appreciating everything they saw, but my mind was blank. I felt an intensity burn within me in that moment, and I knew she felt it too. The air was thick between us. Meaningful.

And then, the moment was gone.

"You see something you like?" Pink had just risen to her complexion, and as Rose often does, she hid her embarrassment with snarky attitude.

"Get dressed." Her need to fill the moment with inappropriate comments somehow cheapened what had just happened between us. I felt my anger harden my features as she covered herself.

"How'd you find me? You following me to make I don't run away?"

"Be quiet." My words her short, my voice harsh. Leaning down to look her in the eyes, I allowed my resentment to color my words. "A janitor saw you and reported it." She didn't need to know I had figured it out on my own. That I had even cared to give it that much thought. "Do you have any idea how stupid this was?"

"I know, I know, the whole probation thing, right?" Attitude.

"Not just that. I'm talking about the stupidity of getting in _that_ kind of situation in the first place."

"I get in _that_ kind of situation all the time, Comrade. It's not a big deal." Her intensity was beginning to match mine and her words were biting.

But I all heard was her nickname for me. "Stop calling me that. You don't even know what you're talking about."

"Sure I do. I had to do a report on Russia and the R.S.S.R. last year."

Feuding between dropping the pointless conversation and correcting her ignorance, I chose both. "_U.S.S.R._ And it is a big deal for a Moroi to be with a dhampir girl. They like to brag."

"So?"

How could she have so little respect for herself? How could she care so little about her reputation? "So? So don't you have any respect? Think about Lissa. You make yourself look cheap. You live up to what a lot of people already think about dhampir girls, and it reflects back on her. And me." As I spoke, I felt what little control I had slipping and my voice was raising. So was hers.

"Oh. I see. It that what this is about? Am I hurting your big, bad male pride? Are you afraid I'll ruin your reputation?"

"My reputation is already made, Rose. I set my standards and live up to them long ago. What you do with yours remains to be seen." I was exasperated, but my words were softer at first. As I thought about what I had seen, though, I heard my voice shift again. "Now get back to your room—if you can manage it without throwing yourself at someone else."

"Is that your subtle way of calling me a slut?"

I hadn't intended for the conversation to go this way, but at this point, I no longer cared. "I hear the stories you guys tell. I've heard stories about you."

My words halted her fury. I saw as each word stung her and tears glassed over her eyes. She blinked before speaking, sounding every bit the timid 17-year-old she was, "Why is it wrong to… I don't know, have fun? I'm seventeen, you know. I should be able to enjoy it."

Her vulnerably washed the anger and annoyance from me. "You're seventeen, and in less than a year, someone's life and death will be in your hands. If you were human or Moroi, you could have fun. You could do things other girls could." My voice was still firm, but I could see her respond to the softness I tried to show. I wanted to comfort her, place my hand on her arm. My muscles twitched into movement, but I stopped myself as vision of her in nothing but that black bra flashed through my mind.

"But you're saying I can't." It was a statement, not a question.

"When I was seventeen, I met Ivan Zeklos. We weren't like you and Lissa, but we became friends, and he requested me as his guardian when I graduated. I was the top student in my school. I paid attention to everything in my classes, but in the end, it wasn't enough. That's how it is in this life. One slip, one distraction…" _Like a vacation_. I took a deep breath, steeling myself against the flood of memories that were sure to come. "And it's too late."

"Jess's a Zeklos," she made the connection.

"I know."

"Does it bother you? Does he remind you of Ivan? "

"It doesn't matter how I feel. It doesn't matter how any of us feel." A reminder to myself. A lesson to Rose.

"But it does bother you. " She hesitated. Understanding dawned on her face. "You hurt. Every day. Don't you? You miss him?"

I wasn't comfortable with her knowing that about me. I realized then that she knew me as well as I knew her. We had a connection. A bond. Not like her and Lissa, but somehow, we were in sync with one another.

_One will see your soul._

And if I'd guessed it before, I was certain now. Rose could see into my soul. Yeva had seen her. Yeva understood something about this, about Rose. About my feelings for her. I wondering what else she knew.

I had almost forgotten Rose was still there. My thoughts were swirling around me. I steadied my expression, my voice. "It doesn't matter how I feel. _They_ come first. Protecting them."

"Yeah." Rose agreed. "They do."

Silence followed and my mind returned again to Yeva's note. _Your life can't be what it's meant to be without these two. _Rose would be in my life—she would be an important part of my life. I recalled her focus and determination after the fox, the understanding she now had about her role. Everything fell into place and I knew what I had to do.

"You told me you want to fight, to really fight. Is that still true?"

"Yes, absolutely." If she was surprised by my words, she didn't show it.

"Rose… I can teach you, but I have to believe you're dedicated. Really dedicated. I can't have you distracted by things like this." I indicated the room around us. I knew she was dedicated. I believe it, too, but she needed to understand. I again fought the urge to reach out to her. "Can I trust you?"

Her response came from her eyes before her lips parted to speak. She wanted this. She wanted the opportunity to prove herself to me—to prove she was worthy of my time. "Yes, I promise."

"All right. I'll teach you. But I need you strong. I know you hate the running, but it really is necessary. You have no idea what Strigoi are like. The school tries to prepare you, but until you've seen how strong they are and how fast… well, you can't even imagine. So I can't stop the running and the condition. If you want to learn more about fighting, we need to add more trainings. It'll take up more of your time. You won't have much left for your homework or anything else. You'll be tired. A lot."

A moment's pause before her response told me she understood what I was asking. "It doesn't matter. If you tell me to do it, I'll do it."

I tried to look into her eyes and see her determination again. There was something in her gaze that motivated me and I wanted to see it. I wanted to feel that connection I knew we had. As I studied her, a flash of determination—and fear of failure, maybe?—filled her eyes. I was decided. "We'll start tomorrow."


	10. An Impossible Situation

**Chapter 10**

**An Impossible Situation**

We stood in the lounge just a moment longer, before exhaustion stole her expression and she resigned herself to her room. She stepped past me on her way through the door and I was enveloped by her intoxicating scent.

I listened as she walked away, and then quietly followed behind her. I trusted her to go back to her room—I had no doubt she would—but followed her anyway. From doorway that led to the stairs, I watched her approach her room. When she placed her hand on the door knob, she rested her head against the door and sighed.

I held my breath. Did she know I followed her? I tried to be silent, but did I make a mistake?

Several seconds past. I was frozen. Not wanting to move. Not wanting to be caught. Not wanting to look away. Finally, she opened the door, and her whispered voice found my ears. "Tomorrow!" She was excited. Nervous, maybe, too. I felt my lips respond in a smile and I turned and went to my room.

Tomorrow was going to bring a change in our relationship, I was sure of it. I had to let my protectiveness of her go so I could teach her completely. I knew I would struggle with that, but I knew it was what was best for her.

It was what was best for Valissa as well. My thoughts were private, I knew. Maybe Yeva knew, but no one else could. I had to keep myself trained to think about what was best for Valissa.

As I readied for bed, I was surprised how easily my thoughts returned to Rose. Our conversation changed her. She grasped the reality of her birth responsibility. The change was beautiful.

Beautiful.

My mind was reeling, holding sleep way. Any time my eyes would drift close, I would see Rose with me, exposed again. It excited me, waking me every time. I was frustrated that I wasn't ever able to reach out to her in my dreams, to touch her soft skin and feel its warmth on my fingers. And I was frustrated for wanting that.

I inhaled deeply, delighted to catch a faint hint of Rose's scent on my clothes. I knew I had to control myself better, but for the first time since my friends' death, I felt my life again had meaning.

Sleep still evaded me, but I closed my eyes and counted my breathes. One… Two… Inhale… Exhale… Rose was lying on couch as I came slamming into the room…. Inhale… Anger clouded my vision… Exhale… The boy ran… Inhale… I turned to Rose… no breath… her beauty—even the memory of it—made it hard to breath. Sovershenstvo, ona byla krasiva. She was so beautiful. So beautiful it hurt me.

I allowed the thought of her to consume me, fighting it no more, and fell quickly to sleep.

"_Dimitri?" Rose questioned, her voice soft, curious._

"_Hmm?" We were sitting together on the rock overlooking the Academy. The same place where I realized how much I truly cared for her. The sun was bright, casting a halo of light that frame her. I was in awe._

_Her question—whatever it was—never followed. Instead she placed her head on my shoulder, and I pulled her to me. The contact between us created such heat and desire it was almost unbearable, but nothing could make me pull away. _

"_Valissa's coming." She whispered, and a moment later, the princess broke through the trees into the clearing. In the shadow behind her, a twig snapped. Movement. Danger. Rose knew it too and she ran to Valissa to pull her away from the woods. In a moment, our peaceful escape became a fight for our lives as we were surrounded by Strigoi. _

_My mind tried to reason how they could be out in the sun, but the threat was too great for thought. They were closing in on us and all I could see was the red eyes locked on my charge and my—well, Rose. I had to react to protect them, but I my feet were locked to the ground. I knew I could only protect one. They come first. But then that meant leaving Rose to fend for herself. In my moment's hesitation, I was overcome by two Strigoi and was fighting for my own life. Their strength was great, but I could handle them. After a quick fight, I killed the second Strigoi with a stake to the heart and turned to defend the girls._

_But they were gone._

I started back to consciousness, fully aware it was all just a dream. But my heart ached from the nightmare. My feelings for Rose were made complicated by my role as a mentor and hers as my student. They were made complicated by the age difference. But they were made impossible by our duty.

Impossible.

I hesitated in the dream. Guardians should never hesitate. Never. And before this moment, I never thought I would. But I knew if I fully loved Rose, I would hesitate. Who would I protect?

The last Dragomir princess? Of course.

But then, would I not defend Rose? No. No, I would protect her, too.

It was a dangerous and impossible situation.

An impossible situation.


	11. An Eventful Morning

**Chapter 11**

**An Eventful Morning**

The worst part about waking suddenly is the inability to fall back to sleep. Even if my heart hadn't been racing from the panic-induced dream that I had had, my mind was trying desperately to untangle the web of feelings that I had. There would be no more sleep for me today.

I dressed lazily for a workout and donned my leather duster. A quick check in the mirror to make sure I was presentable took more than I expected. I found myself studying my features—my dark eyes, my long hair, the sharp angles of my jaw—wondering if Rose saw me in the same light I saw her. Deciding it was impossible, I left my room to wonder campus.

The sun was creeping close to the horizon, and I knew the vampiric night still had another couple of hours. Time I would spend with my thoughts. I meandered to the gym enjoying the feel of the cool air in my lungs.

My mind returned to the first time that I had seen Rose, only now, my memories saw her more clearly than I had originally. I remembered the curves of her body as she put herself between me and Valissa. The way her lips parted in a quiet gasp when she saw me notice the bite on her neck. Her voice, always so clear and musical, comforted Valissa back in their room. Remember that day, remembering even recognizing her beauty then, filled me with warmth that even the cold air around me couldn't touch.

I was drawn to Rose. Desperately so. The past weeks were filled with confusion as I fought with myself against the feelings that had been growing so quickly. Now, I knew exactly how I felt, and I knew that I could _never _do anything about it. I also knew that Rose would always be in my life. I was Valissa's guardian, and with Rose's bond, she would undoubtedly also be assigned to Valissa when she graduated. I knew it wasn't what my heart wanted, but I would take that over losing her completely.

Contentment washed over me and I was lost in my thoughts. Suddenly, a harsh snapping noise brought me back to the present time. Instinctively, my muscles tensed for danger as I assessed my surroundings. I heard muffled sounds—a girl struggling. I sprinted in the direction of the noises, my hand on my stake ready for an assault.

I was not prepared for what I found. Markus, the guardian who joked about having his way with Rose, had found a new target. A feeder. Dhampirs didn't use feeders for as a food source, but the venom-induced high clouded their judgment and made them an easy sexual target for some. I never understood the appeal, but I knew many dhampirs took advantage.

"Are you okay, ma'am?" I asked, forbidding the embarrassment of the situation to color my tone. I searched her eyes for an answer, not her words, and when she nodded, I found no lie. Having no desire to linger, I quickly turned and left.

"She's no Hathaway, Belikov, but I haven't given up on that" Markus taunted, as I walked away. I hesitated as his voice echoed in my mind from weeks before. _The body on that girl. No wonder all the boys want her. I wouldn't mind a turn._ Taking a deep breath, ignoring his taunt, I continued to walk away. "What's it like Dimitri? You make her scream your name?"

My nails bit into the palms of my hands as I clenched my fists. My ears were ringing with anger and suddenly, I saw nothing but Markus. I saw nothing but my fist connecting with his jaw. I felt no pain as his bones gave way to the power behind my blow. He had no time to react before he hit the ground.

An eerie serenity calmed me as I walked away. A smile crept across my face when I thought about the way Markus fell. I knew he wouldn't say anything because then he'd have to explain what he was doing in the woods when he was suppose to be doing rounds. I wondered how he'd explain.

My pride began to wash away as I considered my loss of control. What implications did my actions have? I responded to his baiting. Had he guessed my feelings? I acted to defend Rose's honor without hesitation. Without thought of my reputation. Or Valissa's. I shouldn't have done it.

But I didn't care. I was please with myself.

Though, I did promise myself that I would work on my priorities. _They come first_.

I reached the gym several hours before Rose was due to join me for her morning workout. I shrugged off my duster and took to running on the treadmill. Finally understanding my warring emotions, I was at peace with my feelings for Rose and allowed my thoughts to return to the dead fox.

I recalled everything about the room, the day. When I ran into Stephan, he closed off the dorms. No students in or out. But, Natalie. She was there. After the building was put on lock down, she pushed her way into the room. Where had she been that she was free to walk the halls? Had she already been there? She was interested in the hushed conversation the girls were having, though she tried to hide it. I was going to have to keep an eye on her. There was something about that girl, I was sure of it.

I considered discussing my suspicions with Rose. She would be able to keep an eye on Natalie and report back to me. Quickly, I dismissed that idea. It felt too much like using Rose, and I didn't want to do that.

Of course, thinking about talking to Rose brought her back to the forefront of my thoughts. A quiet voice reminded me that I'm not the type of man to obsess over someone, but I just couldn't keep her from my mind. I had vowed that I would do better about acting on my anger and jealousy, but I had no desire to filter my thoughts in this moment. I found comfort in identifying how I truly felt, and I was in no rush to suppress those feelings, thought I knew I would have to soon.

Allowing my mind to explore my new interest, time quickly passed. After a couple of hours running—eventually with a blank mind—Rose showed up for her work out.

"Oh." She was surprise to see me. "Didn't expect you here this early," She said, stifling a yawn and pulling back her hair. I chanced a look at the clock to hide my smile. She was an hour early. Her new-found dedication and determination motivating her.

Realizing she'd commented on my presence, I responded a little too late for natural conversation. "Couldn't sleep."

"Everything okay?" She glanced at me, and then quickly looked away.

I enjoyed the simple conversation that followed as Rose stretched and prepared for her work out. She wouldn't quite look at me. I could tell she was still embarrassed about the situation I found her in last night.

"So?" She looked to me from instruction.

"Running really is important." I could hear the apology in my voice.

"No worries. Three miles?"

"Can you handle four?" I asked her as she reached into her bag. She nodded as she pulled out some lip glass and applied it. She tilted her head slightly looking into the tube, allowing her pony tail to cascade over her shoulder. I couldn't pull my gaze away.

"I'll do what you say I should," she smiled. With a resigned sign, she threw the lip gloss back onto her bag and headed for the door.

I knew she would be back in record time. I stretched and let time pass as I practiced my fighting form. When Rose returned, she was eager to learn and we spent the remainder of our session sparring. As I had observed in her classes, she was good. With specialized training, she would be great. I was ready to help her make that happen. As we fought, I studied her movements, noting what we needed to practice. I was in guardian mode, but I was still aware each time our bodies touched. When we began intensive training, I knew I would have to lock these feelings away.

After what only felt like minutes, Rose rushed from the gym for class. I had lost track of the time and she was running late for class. I hung behind in the gym to put our equipment away. I was pleased with our training session and already planning our afternoon session.

As I was leaving the gym, I spotted her lip gloss on the ground where her bag had been. I picked it up not sure what to do with it. I recalled her disappointment on her face when she held the tube and recalled what Rose was like when we first returned to the Academy. She had been more aware of her appearance, often wearing more makeup then she needed and clothing leaving nothing to the imagination. Slowly, her focused had changed, and I hadn't even realized it. Her neck lines were higher these days, and she wore very little makeup anymore. Lip gloss must be her staple—something I understood more than I would like to admit having several sisters myself.

As I was leaving the gym, I ran into Alberta. She seemed like she had been looking for me, a suspicion confirmed when she called to me. "Guardian Belikov, do you have a minute?" She seemed cautious after me snapping at her yesterday.

"Sure. What's up?"

"Guardian Nixon—Markus Nixon—fell down the stairs last night and broke some bones in his face." _Funny. _ " We could really use you in rotations if you're available."

"Sure. When do you need me? I'll work my schedule with Ms. Hathaway around patrolling."

"Actually," she seemed embarrassed. "Do you mind patrolling now? The west perimeter?"

"No worries," I heard myself echoing what Rose had told me earlier. "I'll go get my equipment and head straight to the perimeter."

I had hoped to watch Rose in her combat classes after training this morning, but understood the importance of watching the boarders. We had wards in place—magical charms that were infused with earth, air, water and fire magic that Strigoi could not cross—but there is always a concern that they may fail. I was more than willing to do my share of patrolling to keep the students safe.

I found that I really enjoyed patrolling. It was tranquil. I was able to listen to chatter of my coworkers to assess dangers in the earpiece that I wore, but I was easily able to ignore the nonsense conversation. Watching my steps and remaining quiet to ensure I didn't alert any potential threats to my presence, I worked on locking up my feelings for Rose, certainly controlling them better.

Whispered conversation reached my ears. I stopped walking and tried to determine the location of the speakers. They were nearby, and it seemed they were unaware that I was here. Listening more intently, I was able to determine that one of the speakers was Markus.

"…You were right. Call her a slut and he snapped. I don't know how you saw it…"

"Fine, whatever. Just give this to Daddy." A girl's voice. Familiar, but I couldn't place it, and I couldn't see her. _Daddy_? That was familiar, too. I wasn't sure what I walked into, but I knew that I should stay hidden until I was sure they were gone.

Markus was talking about me hitting him, I was certain. He didn't come right out and call Rose a slut, but he had insinuated it. I did snap. But who was he telling that, and what was she right about? What had she seen? Had someone guessed my feelings for her? But how, since I hadn't realized until just last night.

This conversation that I interrupted seemed important. Urgent, almost. But I wasn't sure what it was about. I filed it away with the other mysteries this school seemed to have to figure out another day. I had never been a detective until coming to work at St. Vladimir's, and I wasn't sure I wanted to play that role anymore.

When I was sure that I was alone again, I continued my patrol with a chuckle to myself. Detective Belikov. What a morning.

* * *

**a/n: What do you think. Please, please review.**


	12. Friends aren't always Friends

**Chapter 12**

I stayed on patrol until a guardian I didn't recognize relieved me of my duty. Other than the whispered conversation I encountered, the western perimeter was clear. The vampiric day was still early and I knew that Rose would still be in class for another several hours.

The slightest thought of her brought a smile to my face. I was a school boy again. Hopelessly falling for a girl I could never have. I knew she was off limits. We had no future together. Our positions dictated so. But I still enjoyed the freedom my heart felt when my mind wondered to thoughts of her.

As I wondered the empty campus, my stomach alerted me to its need for sustenance. I turned towards the commons and noticed Alberta was coming towards me again. A smiled a greeting at her and quickened my pace to meet her in the middle of the space between us. As the space between us decreased, she reached her hand to me. In her grip, she held an envelope.

"This came for you today."

I looked at the letter. On the front, my messy scrawl immediately indicated the letter was from my grandmother. Even had I tried, I wouldn't have been able to suppress the smile. I missed my family.

"You don't get letters often." Alberta reminded me of her presence. Concern laced her words. I didn't need to open the letter to know everything was alright. A letter from my grandmother meant another vision. Anything dangerous, she would have called.

"My grandmother," I replied as I waved the letter to show her the return address. "I'm sure everything's just fine."

"Good." Alberta sighed. "How was patrol?"

My simple response of "alright" ended our conversation, but reminded me of the conversation I had overheard. There was still something about that conversation that made me anxious. Markus had baited me. He wanted to see if I would react, and when I did, he reported it to a student. I was sure she was a student. And, he played messenger for that student. With whom was he in contact? I was suspicious, but I didn't want to bring anyone else into this. I could confide in Stephen if I wanted, but I knew it was best to wait until I had more information.

I opened the letter and was disappointed by the short sentences written in the center of the page. The ink was smeared and handwriting sloppy. This letter had been written in haste.

_Friends aren't always friends, Dimka. And family shouldn't always be trusted. Protect her._

I let my grandmothers message stew as I quickly grabbed a bite to eat in the commons. A couple students still lingered after their lunch. My scan swept the room in guardian fashion. But, to be honest with myself, I was also looking to see if Rose was among the students left in the lunchroom. Slightly disappointed not to find her, and slightly proud to know she was in class, I made my way back towards the gym to for another workout before meeting Rose.

I was several paces outside the commons when a familiar voice reached my ears. "And Daddy says he'll take me shopping, too." I spun on my heals to locate the owner of that voice and came to face Natalie with several other Royals. A sly smirk played on her lips when she looked into my eyes. "Sorry, Guardian Belikov." I nodded. Several of the girls with her giggled as the huddle walked away.

Natalie. _Friends aren't always friends._

* * *

_**a/n: My apologies that it's taken me so long to write another installment. I've started to write my own novel. Find snippets of my prequel on my blog at .com/category/cherished/**_

_**As always, please R&R.**  
_


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